BJP acts vindictive against Punjab as it failed to win even single seat in parliamentary polls
Silence on MSP is a cruel joke with ‘Annadata’
Chandigarh, July 23:
Terming the Union Budget vengeful towards Punjab and ‘Annadata’, Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Mr. Aman Arora said that the budget has revealed the vindictive face of the BJP-led Central Government, which were even failed to win a single seat in the state during the recently held Parliamentary Polls. The budget once again proved that the Modi government’s primary focus is on targeting opposition ruled governments rather than addressing real issues.
Addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan on Tuesday, Mr. Aman Arora said that Punjab is known as the Granary of India, which made the nation independent in food security but the border state has been overlooked and there was nothing on agriculture, rural and urban development, while on the other hand sops have been announced for BJP ally TDP and JD(U)-governed Andhra Pradesh and Bihar to just save the Langri Sarkar (lame government).
He further said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann sought funds worth Rs 1,32,247 crores from the Finance Commission yesterday to give impetus to the development in the state but today Punjab has been totally ignored in the union budget as no special grant has been allocated to the state for disaster management, crop diversification, industry or MSMEs. The Budget is a stark betrayal of their oft-repeated slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.” This budget is not just disappointing; it’s a glaring example of the government’s apathy towards the common people of India, particularly those in Punjab” uttered Mr. Aman Arora, while accusing the central government of once again demonstrating its inability to address the pressing issues. This budget offers nothing substantial for women, farmers, youth or the poor.
Farmers have been protesting for legal guarantees to their produce but the central government failed to even utter a word on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and fertilisers subsidy has also been slashed to further burdened the farmers, which is a cruel joke with our hard working farmers. While the union government makes vague promises about farmer credit cards in five states, they conveniently avoid specifying which states will benefit or what the credit limits will be, said the Cabinet Minister, adding that this ambiguity leaves our farmers in a state of uncertainty and anxiety about their future.
He said that the BJP had announced as many as two crore jobs to youth every year but the youth is grappling with severe unemployment. Instead of terminating the controversial Agniveer scheme and reinstating the traditional army recruitment process, the government chooses to turn a blind eye to their plight.
Mr. Aman Arora said that in a clear indication of the budget’s failure, the stock market plummeted following its announcement, reflecting the widespread discontent among the masses. Their penchant for temporary fixes instead of presenting a comprehensive, long-term vision for the nation is alarming, he added.
