Asks Khattar To Refrain From Commenting On Punjab Congress Or Rahul, Tells Him To Talk Of Modi

Ferozepur/Rupnagar, April 29: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday rejected reports of the SIT giving clean chit to the Akali leadership in the Behbal Kalan firing case, saying a single challan submitted so far in the court was being erroneously interpreted to mean that the Akalis were innocent in the matter. Talking informally to mediapersons here after accompanying Congress candidate Sher Singh Ghubaya to file his nomination papers from Ferozepur, where he is pitted against SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Captain Amarinder said the media was twisting select information to mean something that had nowhere been concluded by the SIT.

The SIT had, in fact, made it clear that its investigations were still in progress and it would be filing more challans to supplement the one it had filed so far against a single police officer, the Chief Minister pointed out. “How can a partial investigation and a single challan be taken to mean a clean chit to the Akalis,” he asked. The Chief Minister reiterated that once the probe into the case was completed, anyone found guilty of involvement, howsoever high and mighty he might have been, would be punished as per law.

Manish Tewari

He, however, clarified once again that he would not indulge in political vendetta to nail the Badals or anyone else in this or any other case. Earlier, in Rupnagar, where he accompanied Manish Tewari in filing his nomination papers fro the Congress, the Chief Minister, taking strong exception to the remarks of his Haryana counterpart on Rahul Gandhi in the context of the Punjab electoral scene, asked ML Khattar to stop commenting on Punjab and the Congress leadership and talk instead about his own state and his own leader, Narendra Modi.

Terming as ridiculous Khattar’s remark that Congress leaders in Punjab were not taking Rahul’s name during electioneering, Captain Amarinder said the Haryana chief minister was neither clued into what was happening in Punjab or the Congress here, nor did he have any locus standii to speak about matters relating to our state. “Why does he not talk of Modi and the BJP in Haryana?” asked Captain Amarinder, adding that in the absence of any constructive

Sukhbir Singh Badal

In response to a question, the Chief Minister repeated his earlier stand on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying the Congress did not need a non-existent outfit with no presence in Punjab. The Congress was well positioned to sweep the LS polls in the state on its own, he added. Asked about the bribery allegations against Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Captain Amarinder said the SDM had already done an inquiry into the charges and found them to be totally wrong. The opposition had no election plank to fight the polls and was indulging in falsehoods and unfounded allegations to mislead the voters, he added.

The Chief Minister asserted that Sunil Jakhar would win the Gurdaspur seat hands down, with Sunny Deol just a fly-by-night candidate who would simply disappear. Deol’s rally had been a total flop, he added. Replying to a question on the farmers’ agitation, the Chief Minister said his government had already given loan relief and would continue extend more support to them as the state’s fiscal situation improves.

On a question about crop damage due to unseasonal rains, Captain Amarinder made it clear his government would not let the Centre impose any cuts on procurement of discoloured wheat grain. “Why should the farmer pay for a natural calamity,” he asked, adding that his government would approach the Centre to ensure that this does not happen.