Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has castigated the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for politicising the plight of the cotton farmers in Mansa.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has castigated the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for politicising the plight of the cotton farmers in Mansa.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, the Chief Minister lashed out at Sukhpal Singh Khaira for misleading the people over the issue of the white-fly attack on the cotton crops in the region.

Reacting strongly to Khaira’s allegations of complicity of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and cabinet ministers in the sale and distribution of fake and poor quality pesticides to the farmers, Captain Amarinder said it was evident that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader had no connect with the situation on the ground.

Khaira should go to the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to take lessons on the subject and should try to understand the grassroots situation of the extent of whitefly infestation in the state from the Vice Chancellor and the faculty, said the Chief Minister.

As the leader of the opposition, it was Khaira’s duty to act responsibly and to play the role of a constructive opposition instead of indulging in petty politicking that he is engaged in, Captain Amarinder said. The position he holds requires decorum and sincerity, with accountability to the people, which the Leader of the Opposition seemed to be totally non-cognizant of, he added.

The Arvind Kejriwal style of functioning, which Khaira seemed to be trying to emulate, had failed miserably in the recent Punjab Assembly polls and Delhi, the Chief Minister pointed out, adding that AAP had proved, time and again, that it was least interested in addressing the concerns of the people and simply believed in playing to the gallery.

Khaira seemed to have forgotten that the politics of confrontation and blatant lies that AAP, led by Kejriwal, had been resorting to had failed totally in Punjab and he would not succeed in befooling the people, said the Chief Minister.

Punjab needs a constructive and responsible opposition to strengthen the efforts of the government in bringing the state’s growth and development back on track, the Chief Minister added.