BEGGAR REMARK: SAD TO MOVE PRIVILEGE MOTION AGAINST FM

CHANDIGARH:The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday accused finance minister Manpreet Badal of comparing families of farmers, who allegedly committed suicide, with beggars and said the SAD-BJP combine would move a privilege motion against him.

The Akali leaders said they have the minister’s video where he is seen giving examples of a beggar while explaining debt waiver to farmers.

The video, which is the part of Manpreet’s post budget press conference, was first raked up by former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa. Manpreet denied having said this in the House. “I cannot think of using such a word for farmers of Punjab. Akali members are putting words in my mouth,” he said. To this, Sukhbir said they can show the video in the House.

“The speaker disallowed playing of the video in the House. Therefore, we will come tomorrow with proof and move privilege motion against Manpreet,” said Sukhbir. The SAD president claimed that Manpreet had, in a press conference, allegedly referred to farmers as destitute,” Sukhbir told reporters in the Vidhan Sabha press gallery here.

“Manpreet said as one gives alms to a beggar at traffic lights to make him go away, families of farmers who committed suicides are being treated in a similar fashion by giving them compensation. Is Punjab’s farmer, who not only feeds the state, but entire nation, a beggar? This shows his mental state,” he claimed.

Sukhbir said that the SAD has demanded an apology from Manpreet and Congress “not only before the House, but also from people of Punjab”. Terming his behaviour as “intolerable”, Sukhbir said Manpreet would not be allowed to get away with this.

He claimed that Punjab had witnessed a spurt in farmer suicides in the last three months with nearly 90 farmers ending their lives.

He said it would have been better if Manpreet and his government stuck to its promise to affect a complete loan waiver of farmer loans taken from nationalised and cooperative banks.