Cong asks BJP to come out of Badal govt

The Punjab Congress on Monday called upon the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, the alliance partner of the Akali Dal, to come out of the Parkash Singh Badal government in case the party was really sincere in its opposition to the new taxation proposals.       

In a statement issued here, senior leaders including Lal Singh, Brahm Mobindra, Parminder Singh, Gurkirat Singh Kotli and Tarlochan Singh Soondh, all MLAs, said going by the past experience, the BJP had never been sincere in its approach and is known only to shed crocodile tears. Now was the time for the party to prove its credentials that it was really for the poor and opposed to the anti-people agenda of its senior alliance partner which was being dictated by some ulterior motives rather than the development of the state.

It may be mentioned that the BJP core committee at its meeting here Sunday evening had decided to oppose proposed taxation measures likely to be taken up at the next meeting of the cabinet.

Parminder Singh said in case the BJP had any problem in destabilising the government of its alliance partner, it could come out of the government and extend outside support. He said the BJP would be in a better position to dictate the government by extending outside support. Of course, those enjoying the ministerial offices would have to make sacrifices but then such a sacrifice would be too little in case it was for the people, he added.

These leaders said as a first step, the BJP ministers should boycott the next meeting of the cabinet to register protest. The next cabinet meeting would be an acid test for the BJP to prove its credentials. Being custodian of the faith of the people, this minimum action would be desirable.

The Congress leaders made it clear that they were not opposed to the resource mobilisation without which development of the state was not possible but it had to be rational. They said the anti-people Akali Dal government had gone to the extent of taxing even sugar and atta that were the basic needs of the people. How Badal could claim to be a pro-people leader, they asked.

They said it was too well known that the leakage in revenue collection was very high in Punjab. In case the government plugged such loopholes, there would be no need to put additional burden on the people.