2017 Assembly Polls: AAP vow to make farmers debt free by 2018
Posted: 12 Sep 2016
BAGHAPURANA, Moga—On the eve of releasing Farmers’ manifesto in a well-attended rally at Baghapurana on September 12, AAP’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, vowed to make the farmers of Punjab debt-free by the end of 2018 if AAP succeeds in 2017’s assembly polls.
Holding the Akali Dal and Congress responsible for plight of farmers in Punjab, Kejriwal announced to bring a law on the lines of ‘Sir Chhotu Ram Act of 1934’ to cut debt of farmers from private moneylenders.
He announced that if the crops of farmers get destroyed due to natural blunders, minimum of Rs. 20,000/- per acre compensation will be given. He also announced compensation worth Rs. 500,000 plus a government job for the families of farmers who committed suicides in last 10 years.
In an attempt to hijack the tricks of Akali Dal, Kejriwal also announced to return land of Satluj-Yamuna Canal to its owners and provide more money for beneficiaries of Shagun scheme and old age pensions beside addition of a million more beneficiaries of “Atta-Dal scheme”.
Lashing out at the Akali Dal for committing exemplary corruption, Kejriwal said that he will throw Akali Ministers Tota Singh, Bikram Majithia, Sikandar Maluka and Adesh Partap Kairon behind bars under corruption charges. Notably, Tota is Agriculture Minister, Bikram Majithia is Revenue Minister, Sikandar Maluka is Rural Development Minister and Adesh Partap Kairon is Minister of Food & Civil Supplies.
Kejriwal alleged that Tota Singh had recommended pesticides of lower quality that resulted in loss of cotton-seed crop last year in Malwa region. Similarly, a scam worth Rs. 12,000/- crore came into light in the Department being looked after by Adesh Partap Kairon. Bikram Majithia is considered as kingpin of Drug Mafia.
Giving indirect indications about Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Kejriwal said that AAP has zero tolerance towards corruption. He added that AAP had erected an example by sacking its three ministers under corruption charges while the Akali Dal and Congress parties were carrying corruption blotted leaders along with them.
Taking on Captain Amarinder Singh for playing politics of compromise with Akali dal, Kejriwal said that why Captain Amarinder Singh feels burnt when he talks of jailing Badal clan and Majithia. “Whenever I talk about jailing drug mafia kingpin Bikram Majithia, Captain says he will throw me out of Punjab,” he added.