Chandigarh, January 1, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Punjab, has slammed the SAD-BJP alliance partners and the ruling Congress for shedding crocodile tears over the open ‘loot’ of every power consumer by the government-sponsored power mafia, saying that both were hand in glove with the power mafia calling the shots in the state.
In a statement issued from party headquarters on Wednesday, convener of party’s ‘Bijli Morcha’, Meet Hayer, chief spokesperson, Prof Baljinder Kaur, Rupinder Kaur Ruby , state SC Wing President Manjit Singh Bilaspur, co-president, Kulwant Singh Pandori and NRI Wing President, Jai Kishan Singh Rouri (all MLAs) questioned that if Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and state party president, Sunil Jakhar, were seized of the issues and concerns of Punjab and the Punjabis, they would done a precious little to review and scrap the Power Purchase Agreements (PPOs) inked between the then Badal government and private power plants by ordering a review of the financial transactions in the power sector during the 10 year tenure of the Badal government.
They said the government in the saddle was following in the footsteps of the Badals, by extending protection to the power mafia in the state.
The AAP leaders said that Sukhbir Singh Badal, who led the march for closure of the government thermal plants in the state giving an alibi that the Punjab was power-surplus state, due to which an average household was left with no option but to cough of Rs 9 per unit in the state today.
Cornering former power minister in the Badal government, Sikander Singh Maluka, Meet Hayer and Prof. Baljinder Kaur questioned as to why was he seeking inquiry against former Congress minister, Gurpreet Singh Kangar and Baldev Singh Sran, currently chairman of the power com?.
The AAP leaders said that the party had raised its voice against the open power ‘loot’ by the government and the mighty power mafia, through its ‘Bijli Morcha by mobilizing the people of the state, saying the issue had become the central government issue today.
AAP MLAs Rupinder Kaur Ruby, Manjit Singh Bilaspur, Jai Kishan Singh Rouri and Kulwant Singh Pandori, demanded a time-bound inquiry under watch of the high court judges into the Akali-Congress power ministers (Sikander Singh Maluka, Rana Gurjit Singh, Gurpreet Singh Kangar), during 2007 and 2019, along chief minister Captain Aamrinder Singh, and then state home minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, the mind behind inking the anti-state power agreements with private power companies, under the watch of high court by the brass in the CAG, on the basis of which a white paper be issued and the deadly contracts scrapped.
The AAP leaders said that like the Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi, private power companies should be shown the door and government thermal plants be revived so as to generate sufficient power in the state through hydro-dams so as to provide cheaper electricity to the people of Punjab, like the Kejriwal government had done in Delhi.
