Hoshiarpur/September 22/Daljeet Ajnoha : Senior BJP leader and former Cabinet Minister Tikshan Sud has strongly criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, calling its decision to sell government properties to manage finances “shameful” and a clear sign of economic bankruptcy.
Sood said that the Bhagwant Mann-led government has failed to fulfill its election promises and has instead pushed Punjab into a deep financial crisis. He reminded that before the Assembly elections, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had claimed that all welfare pledges, including giving every woman ₹1,000 per month, would be funded by stopping corruption worth ₹34,000 crore and curbing illegal mining estimated at ₹20,000 crore.
“Today’s condition shows that Kejriwal’s economic model has collapsed miserably,” Sud remarked. He noted that the state has borrowed more than ₹1 lakh crore, recently raised over ₹1,000 crore from the market, and has also started issuing bonds to generate funds.
The BJP leader slammed the government for appealing to citizens for donations to the Chardi Kala Relief Fund for flood victims, while simultaneously deciding to sell public assets. Among the 10 properties identified for sale are the Patiala Printing Press, Ludhiana’s Kaushik Hospital, Tarn Taran Sugar Mill, and the PWD Rest House in Gurdaspur. In total, 111 acres of government land and properties are planned to be auctioned. The state has also asked for a 5% contribution from panchayat funds.
Sood alleged that the Mann government’s policies have pushed Punjab towards economic darkness. He added that confrontations with the Centre and failure to control both corruption and illegal mining are major reasons behind the worsening financial situation.
