CM warns gangsters: Surrender, or else
Says Punjab not freeforall state, police given free hand to deal with criminals; govt working on law against organised crime
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday gave a stern warning to criminal gangs in the state to surrender or face consequences.
Amarinder, who was holding his first official press conference since taking over reins of the state, said his government knew how to tackle such gangsters and would deal with them firmly.
“Punjab is not a free-for-all state. We will not allow this kind of activity to go on. I have given a free hand to police to deal with them,” said the CM, who was flanked by chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh and director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora.
The CM said the government was also working on the Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act (PCOCA), which was essential for the state.
“I do not want it to be misused. A cabinet sub-committee has been set up to make the Act foolproof so that it is insulated from abuse of any kind,” he said.
The criminal gangs have been stalking the state for a long time.
Giving details, Arora also said there were 49 criminal gangs in the state with 240 members and 137 of them had been arrested. “We are after the remaining gangsters,” he said.
CAPTAIN DOWNPLAYS ‘REFERENDUM’
Amarinder summarily dismissed controversial hoardings which have come up at some places in the state seeking a ‘freedom referendum’ in the state. “There are no such feelings among the people of the state. Some people wanting to foment trouble may have put up these, but do not worry. Everything is under control,” he said in response to a query. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked the state government to remove these hoardings put up by the Sikh for Justice without any delay, calling it an attempt to disrupt peace in Punjab. The hoardings talk of “freedom” and “Punjab Independence Referendum” in 2020.
In response to a question on the portrait gallery being set up in the Golden Temple complex in the memory of those killed during Operation Bluestar, including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Amarinder said Damdami Taksal, a Sikh seminary, was trying to disturb peace through such actions. “I am against such things from the start. There is no need to indulge in these activities and foment trouble,” he said.
‘REVENUES LOOKING UP IN FIRST 100 DAYS’
Amarinder, whose government inherited a fiscal mess from the previous SAD-BJP regime, said that the state’s revenues had started showing signs of improvement. He said ValueAdded Tax (VAT) collections had gone up to ₹6,012 crore between April 1 and June 30 from ₹4,568 crore — an increase of 33% — during the April-June quarter of the previous year, and transport fees/taxes collections are up by 25%.
On fiscal legacy left by the previous regime, the CM said unpaid liabilities amounted to ₹13,039 crore, whereas debt had gone up from ₹51,155 crore in 2007 to ₹182,183 crore in 2017.
In violation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, ₹51,000 crore was raised in the past six months of the previous government, he said.
He reiterated his support for the Goods and Services Tax (GST), saying it would be highly beneficial for the state. He said it was a progressive tax and the Congress was opposing it only on account of the multiple tax brackets in it.
The CM expressed hope about revival of industry in the state, indicating investment of ₹20,000 crore by the Mittal Group in a petrochemical complex at Bathinda.
When asked about the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) threat to stop Punjab vehicles from passing through Haryana on July 10 over the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal issue, the CM said the director general of police was looking into it. He expressed hope that the matter would be resolved through dialogue.