On Saturday, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu called AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal a political tourist and a "liar" who surfaced with "fake promises" just ahead of assembly elections in the state.
Addressing a public meeting here, Sidhu dared Kejriwal for a debate on the issue of employment, claiming he had promised eight lakh jobs in Delhi but gave only 440. "Come and sit (with me), wherever in Punjab. Even call me in Delhi. Will sit at your home, bring TV channels also. If Sidhu gets defeated, then (I) will leave politics,” said Sidhu.
He also targeted Kejriwal for his promise of providing Rs 1,000 per month to women, asking him whether he was giving this amount to women in the national capital where he heads the AAP government. Earlier this month, Kejriwal had claimed that illegal sand mining worth an estimated Rs 20,000 crore was taking place in Punjab and if the AAP formed a government, it would stop this and the money would be used to fund his party’s poll promise of Rs 1,000 per month for women.
Sidhu said Saturday this was not possible. "He (Kejriwal) says that Rs 20,000 crore will come from the sand mining sector in Punjab. The last government (Akali-BJP) deposited Rs 40 crore every year. We (Congress government) are depositing Rs 300 crore. How could you (Kejriwal) get Rs 20,000 crore?" he said. "Show me any state which generates more than Rs 3,000 crore from the sand mining."
"I tell you, Kejriwal! You know nothing about Punjab,” he said. “You are a political tourist and liar who comes here after four and half years with fake promises. Why did you not come in the last four and half years?" he asked.
He accused Kejriwal of privatising liquor in the national capital. Sidhu said that funds to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore could be generated from the liquor business in Punjab, Rs 2,000-3000 crore from sand mining and from cable and other sectors.
The Punjab Congress chief called Kejriwal a “fraud” and said even a garden lizard (kod kirla) does not change as many colours as the AAP leader does. Targeting the AAP leader for his poll time "lollipops", he told people to ask Kejriwal why there was no woman in his cabinet. Sidhu also targeted the Shiromani Akali Dal and its first family, the Badals, for allegedly "looting" the state during their previous regime.
Batting for his “Punjab model” of governance, Sidhu promised to give the minimum support price on pulses and oilseeds if his party returns to power in the state after the upcoming elections. "If the Centre does not pay MSP, does not give legal guarantee to it, the Punjab government will give MSP on 'daal' (pulses) and oilseeds. I promise it," he said.
-With PTI Inputs
