Chandigarh: The BJP's Punjab unit chief Shwait Malik today accused the Amarinder
Singh government of failing to keep its poll promises despite being in
power for over a year and asked it to "either perform or quit".
Rajya
Sabha member Malik lashed at the Congress government while taking over
as his party's state unit president in presence of senior party leaders
including party incharge (Punjab) Prabhat Jha, union minister Vijay
Sampla, BJP Vice President Avinash Rai Khanna, national secretary Tarun
Chugh and several former presidents of party's Punjab unit.
"During
polls, the Congress had announced unemployment allowance, raising
amount of shagun and old age pension. Rather than honouring those
promises, the government stopped giving it to the people," said Malik in
his address to party workers.
He also accused the Punjab
government of betraying farmers by promising to waive all their debts,
pegged at Rs 90,000 crore. "Power rates have doubled up in the state,"
he said.
He alleged that the state government burdened people with imposition of new taxes instead of providing any relief to them.
"We
have given one year to Amarinder Singh government to honour its
promises. But now we will not sit silent. I on behalf of BJP challenge
the state government either perform or quit," he said.
"'Congress
quit Punjab' will now be our campaign and we will fight on the street
for the cause of public in order to wake this government from its deep
slumber," said Malik.
Earlier speaking on the occasion, senior
BJP leaders exhorted party workers to gear up to fight and win 2019 Lok
Sabha elections. With state unit allegedly facing "factionalism", they
also emphasized on "taking all people along".
Addressing
gathering, former Punjab unit chief Ashwani Sharma asked Malik to "take
all people along" which will not only ensure party's victory in 2019 Lok
Sabha elections but also in 2022 assembly polls in Punjab.
Another
former president of state unit Rajinder Bhandari stressed upon on the
need for "introspection" in the wake of BJP wining just three seats out
of 23 allotted during 2017 assembly polls. BJP is an ally of Akali Dal
in Punjab.
Outgoing state unit chief Sampla exhorted party
workers to be aware of "false propaganda" launched by opposition party
on SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
"We should not be misled
by the false and fake propaganda launched by opposition parties on the
issue of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," said Dalit leader.
PTI
