AMARINDER IS BEHAVING LIKE AN ARROGANT ‘RAJA’: SUKHBIR

CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday said chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh was acting like an arrogant ‘raja’ who could do no wrong by refusing cooperation from any political party to fight drugs even as his failure to take action was leading state into an abyss.

In a statement here, the former deputy chief minister said: “I have observed restraint since the last one week and tried to goad you to wake up and take action.

Instead of doing that, you have tried to deflect attention from your government’s failure by coming up with stunts like dope tests. You have even offered to subject yourself to a dope test little understanding what message it will send to Punjabis worldwide – that even you are a suspect,” said Sukhbir.

Reminding Amarinder that he had sworn on the holy ‘gutka’ to eradicate drugs within four weeks of assuming power, the SAD president said: “It is amply clear that you failed to keep promise. Now when the SAD has offered to help task you are treating the offer with arrogance.”

Reasoning with the CM that he should not point fingers at those who were trying to help Punjab, Sukhbir said Amarinder should instead reflect how the present sorry state of affairs came about.

“It is your party president Rahul Gandhi who gave a false statement that 70% of Punjab youth are drug addicts. Instead of correcting this impression, you put your stamp of approval on it.”

“Why did you indulge in such political opportunism then and not offer your cooperation to the SAD-BJP government to jointly fight this menace as I have done now?” Sukhbir further asked Amarinder.

Rahul Gandhi gave a false statement that 70%of Punjab youth are drug addicts. You indulged in opportunism, and did not offer your cooperation (to SADBJP)? SUKHBIR BADAL, former deputy chief minister