News Analysis India

Tag: Punjab government

  • ‘Mischievous assumptions’: Amarinder Singh rubbishes claims of his proposed meeting with Gandhis

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday trashed the claims of a state minister regarding his likely meeting with the Gandhis and returning to the Congress, saying there is no question of looking back.

    He said one of the ministers in the Punjab government has claimed that he will be meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and return to the party.

    “These are malicious and mischievous assumptions apparently made with an ulterior motive,” Singh said in a statement here.

    He reiterated that there is no question of his looking back ever.

    ​ALSO READ | ‘You are a dying duck in a thunderstorm’: Sidhu attacks Amarinder, calls ex-CM a cry baby

    The former chief minister said he is shaping up his party and giving finishing touches to the organisational set-up.

    “We are waiting for the registration of our party, Punjab Lok Congress, by the Election Commission of India and the allotment of the party symbol,” he added.

    Singh quit the Congress on November 2 and accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of hatching a “midnight conspiracy” to oust him from the state government.

    He had resigned as the chief minister in September amid a bitter power tussle with Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

    Charanjit Singh Channi had replaced Amarinder Singh.

  • Punjab government slashes petrol, diesel prices by Rs 10 and Rs 5

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Days after the Centre reduced excise duty on fuel, the Congress-led government in Punjab on Sunday lowered the VAT on petrol and diesel making them cheaper by Rs 10 per litre and Rs 5 per litre in the state.

    The new rates will be effective from midnight.

    Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi made the announcement while addressing the media after the cabinet meeting.

    “We are reducing petrol rate by Rs 10 per litre and diesel rate by Rs 5 per litre from midnight,” said Channi.

    Currently, the petrol and diesel rates in Punjab are Rs 106.20 and Rs 89.83 per litre respectively.

    The Shiromani Akali Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party had been demanding the state government to reduce tax on fuel to provide relief to consumers.

  • SAD wants Centre’s decisions on BSF jurisdiction, farm laws not to be implemented in Punjab

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday asked the Congress government in Punjab to issue an executive order for non-implementation of the Centre’s move of extending the BSF’s jurisdiction.

    The opposition party further demanded that the Charanjit Singh Channi-led dispensation issue a similar executive decision to stop the implementation of the Centre’s three “black” farm laws.

    The party’s core committee demanded the Punjab government issue executive orders directing its officers not to allow the implementation of the central decisions in the state, saying these fall under the state subjects in the Constitution of India, according to a party release here.

    The core committee meeting was chaired by party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal.

    “The Congress government led by Charanjit Singh Channi is trying to befool the people of Punjab by offering a Vidhan Sabha resolution on these two issues while the fact is that his own government is fully empowered to stop the implementation of central orders on issues which fall under the state government’s jurisdiction. Agriculture and law and order are state subjects,” according to a resolution passed by the SAD core committee. Why are they coming to the Vidhan Sabha for a resolution? Is the Vidhan Sabha stopping the Punjab government from passing executive orders to stop BSF (jurisdiction extension) and farm laws,” it further said.

    The Union government had recently amended the BSF Act to authorise the border guarding force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a 50 km stretch, up from the existing 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.

    A special session of the Punjab Assembly will be convened on November 8 to reject the Centre’s notification extending the jurisdiction of BSF and the farm laws.

    Harcharan Bains, principal adviser to the SAD president, said the party also slammed the decision of the central government to extend the provisions of the J and K anti-terror act to Punjab, calling it a frontal assault on federalism.

    The SAD asked the Congress government to come clean on its stand against the Centre’s decision in this regard.

    The core committee also demanded a compensation of Rs 50,000 and Rs 15,000 per acre respectively to farmers and farm labourers affected by crop damage due to pink bollworm pest attack.

  • Punjab government, political parties slam Centre’s call to extend BSF jurisdiction along border

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government as well as political parties in the state reacted sharply to the Centre’s decision to empower the Border Security Force (BSF) to carry out searches and arrests and make seizures up to an area of 50 km from the International Border (IB) with Pakistan and Bangladesh. Earlier, the BSF was only empowered to take action up to 15 km inside Punjab.

    I strongly condemn the GoI’s unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within 50 KM belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on the federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister @AmitShah to immediately rollback this irrational decision.
    — Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) October 13, 2021
    Slamming the Centre for the recent amendment in Section 139 of the BSF Act, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi tweeted that it was “a direct attack on federalism” and urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to “immediately rollback this irrational decision”.

    Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said he would soon personally call on PM Modi and Home Minister Shah to resolve this issue. He categorically said that the CM had neither raised this issue with the Centre nor asked for enhancing the jurisdiction of BSF.

    The Shiromani Akali Dal alleged the move was akin to imposition of “President’s Rule through the back door in nearly half of Punjab”. SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said tht this “devious attempt” to place the state under the central rule must and will be opposed.

    Be careful what you ask for ! Has @CHARANJITCHANNI unwittingly managed to handover half of Punjab to Central govt. 25000sq km (out of total 50,000sq km) has now been placed under BSF jurisdiction. Punjab Police stands castigated. Do we still want more autonomy to States ? https://t.co/JlGB7G0Pnj
    — Sunil Jakhar (@sunilkjakhar) October 13, 2021
    Former state Congress president Sunil Jakhar attacked his own government and tweeted: “Be careful what you ask for! Has @CHARANJITCHANNI unwittingly managed to hand over half of Punjab to Central govt. 25,000 sq km (out of total 50,000sq km) has now been placed under BSF jurisdiction. Punjab Police stands castigated.”

    However, former CM Amarinder Singh came out in support of the move. “BSF’s enhanced presence & powers will only make us stronger. Let’s not drag armed forces into politics,” his advisor tweeted.

    ‘Our soldiers are being killed in Kashmir. We’re seeing more & more weapons & drugs being pushed by Pak-backed terrorists into Punjab. BSF’s enhanced presence & powers will only make us stronger. Let’s not drag central armed forces into politics’: capt_amarinder 1/2(File pic) pic.twitter.com/nu4DhAQnAz
    — Raveen Thukral (@RT_Media_Capt) October 13, 2021

  • Channi ‘unwittingly’ handed half of Punjab to Centre: Sunil Jhakhar on BSF’s jurisdiction extension

    By ANI

    PUNJAB: Former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday raised questions over the state government’s move to ask the Centre to “seal” the international border of the state and said Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has “unwittingly managed to hand over” half of Punjab to the Central government.

    Taking to Twitter, Jakhar claimed that the move “castigated” the Punjab Police.

    “Be careful what you ask for! Has Charanjit Singh Channi unwittingly managed to hand over half of Punjab to the Central govt. 25000sq km (out of a total of 50,000sq km) has now been placed under BSF jurisdiction. Punjab Police stands castigated. Do we still want more autonomy to States?” Jakhar tweeted.

    Be careful what you ask for ! Has @CHARANJITCHANNI unwittingly managed to handover half of Punjab to Central govt. 25000sq km (out of total 50,000sq km) has now been placed under BSF jurisdiction. Punjab Police stands castigated. Do we still want more autonomy to States ? https://t.co/JlGB7G0Pnj
    — Sunil Jakhar (@sunilkjakhar) October 13, 2021
    Jakhar’s tweet came after Union Home Ministry extended the area states of West Bengal, Punjab and Assam, under the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF), giving the paramilitary personnel powers of arrest, search and seizure, on par with state police.

    Meanwhile, Channi has strongly ‘condemned’ Centre’s decision.

    I strongly condemn the GoI’s unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within 50 KM belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on the federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister @AmitShah to immediately rollback this irrational decision.
    — Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) October 13, 2021
    Centre said the move was aimed at maintaining “zero tolerance” against terrorism and cross border crimes, and empowered the BSF to conduct searches, arrest suspects and make seizures up to an area of 50 km inside Indian territory from the International Border (IB) along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders.

    Notably, on October 5, CM Channi had met Home Minister Amit Shah and asked him to “seal” the international border of the state to curb trafficking and weapon.

  • Punjab government writes to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for IGI airport bus service resumption

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: It has been three years that the luxury bus service of Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) from Punjab to Indira Gandhi International airport at Delhi remains suspended. Punjab Transport Minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring wrote a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for resuming the bus services, which was stopped by the Delhi Transport Department in November 2018. He also sought time for a meeting to resolve the long pending issue.

    Sources said that the government had stopped operation of buses on the grounds that they had stage carrier permit, thus they could only take passengers from the three ISBTs in the national capital. Only buses with tourist permits could operate from other places.

    Warring said that the bus service was being operated by the State Transport Undertaking for the passengers travelling to the airport from various cities. “The Delhi Transport Department is allowing private bus operators to ply their buses to the Delhi International Airport”, said the minister.

    Warring said that being the transport minister of the state, it was his priority to provide affordable and quality transport services to the people. “I sought time for a personal meeting as per the convenience of the Delhi Chief Minister to resolve this long pending issue concerning the commuters of the state visiting the Delhi International Airport,” he added.

    He said that the state transport department had already written letters to the Delhi chief minister and Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.  Many meetings were also held with the Transport Authorities, but all in vain. He appealed to people of the state to co-operate in carrying out the pro-people cause. 

  • Chhattisgarh, Punjab govt to give Rs 50 lakh to families of farmers, journalist killed in Lakhimpur violence

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Both Chhattisgarh and Punjab governments on Wednesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh each to families of four farmers and a journalist killed in the violence that broke out in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri.

    The chief ministers of both the Congress-ruled states, along with party leader Rahul Gandhi, have arrived in Lucknow, from where they intend to go to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families of the victims.

    Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said the Lakhimpur violence reminded him of the Jallianwallah Bagh massacre in 1919.

    He said the UP government has made a “mockery” of democracy.

    “Our government will provide Rs 50 lakh each to families of farmers and the journalist killed in Lakhimpur violence,” he told reporters in Lucknow.

    Echoing the same sentiments, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said his government will also give Rs 50 lakh to the families of the farmers and the journalist.

    Four of the eight people who died in Sunday’s violence in Lakhimpur Kheri were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to an event in the area.

    The four others included two BJP workers, a driver of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, and Raman Kashyap, a journalist working for a private TV channel.

    While the first three were allegedly lynched by agitating farmers, the scribe, according to his father, died after being hit by a vehicle when he was covering news of farmers’ protest against Maurya’s visit to Ajay Mishra’s native place.

    The UP Police has lodged a case against Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son but no arrest has been made so far.

    ALSO WATCH:

  • Only AAP can form stable government in Punjab: Kejriwal

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI:  Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal gave a five-point agenda to his Punjab counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi. He stated that the AAP was the only alternative for a stable government in Punjab. Amid the crisis in Congress, Kejriwal landed here on a two-day visit to Punjab on Wednesday.

    Kejriwal asked Channi to fulfil all the pending promises made by his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh.Kejriwal said: “The tainted ministers and officers recently appointed on key posts should immediately be removed and cases should be registered against them. People of Punjab are upset over Bargari sacrilege case. The mastermind of the cases, I don’t need to say who are they and till date they have not been arrested. All those accused can be arrested within 24 hours, if the government wants. Channi should read Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh’s report and he will thus find the names.”

    The AAP national convenor went on: “The unemployed should be provided jobs and till the employment is granted they should be given allowances. All farm loans should be waived off. The power purchase agreements made by the previous SAD-BJP government in the state should be cancelled.”

    Kejriwal added, “If Channi is serious, he should take at least these five decisions in his four-month stint. In my maiden 49-day stint as Delhi CM, I had made electricity cheaper, offered water for free and put the brakes on corruption.”

    Kejriwal added, “We have said again and again that we will give you (Punjab) such a chief ministerial face that all of you will be proud.” Kejriwal held a meeting with representatives of the industry here, assuring to set up a panel to resolve their issues if his party was voted to power in the state.

  • Punjab government reduced to ‘tamasha’; remove tainted ministers: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the Punjab government has been reduced to a “tamasha” and urged new CM Charanjit Singh Channi to immediately remove “tainted” ministers from his cabinet.

    The Delhi CM said this at the Chandigarh airport, a day after the Congress was pushed into a fresh crisis by the resignation of Navjot Singh Sidhu from the post of the party’s Punjab unit chief.

    Sidhu on Wednesday in a video message flagged the issue of appointment of “tainted” officials and ministers. Kejriwal, who is the Delhi CM, also asked the Punjab CM to act on promises made by his predecessor, including the action in the Bargari desecration case.

    During the previous SAD-BJP regime, torn pages of a religious text were found at Bargari in Faridkot. Later, in police firing incidents at protesters, two people were killed at Behbal Kalan and many injured in Kotkapura.

    “We are seeing what kind of political atmosphere is prevailing in the state. Political instability is there, which is unfortunate. A dirty fight for power is going on.People are not able to understand whom they should approach for their problems. They have reduced the government to a ‘tamasha’,” said Kejriwal, who arrived on a two-day visit to Punjab.

    ALSO READ| Punjab Congress crisis: CM Charanjit Singh Channi asks ‘head of family’ Sidhu to resolve issues

    He said that accusations have been made that Channi has inducted “tainted” people in his Cabinet. “I request that they should be removed forthwith, cases be registered against them and they be dealt with strictly,” he said.

    While he congratulated Channi on his elevation as the Punjab CM, Kejriwal said people of the state want him to act on five issues, including the Bargari desecration case. “The mastermind in the sacrilege incidents have not been punished till now. I don’t need to tell who the mastermind are. Their names are there in the report of Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh and Channi can go through that. The culprits can be arrested within 24 hours,” he said.

    Kejriwal said the promises made by former CM Amarinder Singh to people should be fulfilled by the Channi-led government. “Amarinder had promised to give jobs to the youth and till the time they got one, he had promised to give unemployment allowance. That allowance should be given. He had promised loan waiver to farmers,” he said.

    Kejriwal also said the Congress government should scrap the power purchase agreements. Kejriwal reminded Channi that despite being in power for 49 days in the first term, his government did many works and the Punjab CM still has four months left before the state goes to polls.

    “I had 49 days when I first came in power. During that short period, I had halved power rates, made water free and eliminated corruption. If I could do so many works in 49 day period, then Channi too can fulfil pending works,” he said.

    The AAP leader said only his party can give a stable and honest government in Punjab. When asked who will be the CM face of AAP, Kejriwal said, “I have repeatedly said we will give such a face on which you and the entire Punjab will be proud of.”

    Earlier in the day, Navjot Singh Sidhu questioned the appointment of the director general of police, advocate general and “tainted” leaders. “Today, I see there is a compromise on issues,” said Sidhu apparently referring to senior IPS officer Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota who has been given the additional charge of the Punjab DGP.

    Sahota was the head of an SIT formed by the SAD-BJP government to probe desecration incidents. “I see those who had given clean chits to the Badals six years ago…have been given the responsibility of delivering justice,” he added.

    “My soul jitters when I see those who secured blanket bails, they are advocate general. What is the agenda here,” Sidhu asked apparently questioning the appointment of APS Deol to the post.

    ALSO READ| Punjab Congress crisis: Party’s state unit working president Pawan Goel meets Navjot Singh Sidhu

    A system which included “tainted” leaders and officials is being brought back after being dismantled, Sidhu said obliquely referring to the induction of Rana Gurjit Singh as a minister in the new state Cabinet.

    Sidhu was appointed the state Congress president on July 18 amid a bitter power tussle with Amarinder Singh, who resigned as the CM 10 days back while accusing the party high command of humiliating him.

  • Rana Gurjit Singh included as Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi expands cabinet

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi carried out his first cabinet expansion on Sunday.

    Among those who took oath at a ceremony underway at the Raj Bhavan here were Brahm Mohindra, Manpreet Singh Badal, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Aruna Chaudhary, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Rana Gurjit Singh.

    Razia Sultana, Vijay Inder Singla and Bharat Bhushan Ashu were the other ministers to be sworn in.

    Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to the legislators.

    A total of 18 MLA, including chief minister, can be included in the cabinet Channi had taken oath as the chief minister following the unceremonious exit of Congress veteran Amarinder Singh.

    Channi’s two deputies Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni were sworn in on Monday.

    Earlier, a section of Congress leaders from the state had written to the party’s state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu against the induction of former minister Rana Gurjit Singh, alleging he was “corrupt and tainted”.