Chandigarh: Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) chief Amarinder Singh on Tuesday claimed that only the PLC-BJP alliance can ensure security in the sensitive border state. Amarinder said, “The security of the state and the country is of paramount importance, which can only be ensured by a PLC coalition, with the support of the BJP-led government at the Centre.”
He told that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will soon come to Punjab to campaign for the PLC-BJP-SAD joint alliance. The former chief minister claimed that the alliance was formed in the interest of Punjab and the country.
The BJP has tied up with PLC and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (United) for the February 20 assembly elections in Punjab. Amarinder expressed displeasure over Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu hugging the Pakistan Army chief. He said that the Pakistan Army chief used to order his soldiers to kill Indians every day. “The power of Punjab cannot be handed over to those who were ready to compromise on national security to fulfill their personal and political ambitions,” the former chief minister said.
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Addressing a public meeting at Patiala’s Ramlila Maidan, Amarinder asked, ‘Who do you hate more, the soldiers who fired bullets or those who dictated it?’ “We want peace with Pakistan, but we will not bow down to it,” he said. We are ready to fight, our army is ready to fight them.
According to a statement, Amarinder said that although there is no conflict between the peoples of the two countries, the government of Pakistan poses a serious threat which cannot be ignored. The PLC chief said that since March 2017 till now, Pakistan has killed 83 soldiers of Punjab on the border and the previous government led by him had given compensation and job of Rs 50 lakh to the kin of each martyr.
Amarinder claimed that Punjab’s economy has completely collapsed and the Centre’s cooperation is needed to recover it. He said that it is necessary that the states and the Center work together to keep Punjab afloat. Amarinder said the two leaders had personally cordial relations ever since Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat. The PLC chief unveils his ambitious plans for the development and security of the state. He alleged that the Congress suspended these schemes by making unnecessary changes in the government six months before the assembly elections.
Amarinder said that though he had ensured 22 lakh new jobs and investment of Rs 1 lakh crore during his tenure, a lot still needed to be done to ensure the progress of the state. He said, ‘I want to ensure that the children of Punjab do not have to go abroad for higher education and jobs.’ PLC candidate from Patiala Rural Sanjeev Sharma Bittu claimed that the ‘double engine’ government would work for both Punjab and Patiala. Will transform He alleged that Patiala was treated step-motherly for ten years during the Akali rule.