Amarinder, Pargat spar on paddy procurement
JALANDHAR/CHANDIGARH: The turmoil in the Punjab Congress continued to intensify on Sunday after state sports minister Pargat Singh accused former chief minister Amarinder Singh of conspiring with the Bharatiya Janata Party to delay the procurement of paddy, triggering a sharp reaction from Singh who asked the minister to show the evidence.
On September 30, a day before its scheduled beginning, the Union food and public distribution ministry postponed paddy procurement in Punjab and Haryana to October 11. However, after farmers protesting against the delay in the procurement clashed with police personnel in parts of Punjab and Haryana, the Centre issued an order to begin paddy procurement from October 3.
Questioning the timing of the announcement, which came a day after Singh met Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi, Pargat said: “The BJP government has been harassing farmers... (relations between Amarinder and BJP) have been an open secret now... no leader should opt for such a behaviour.”
Hitting back, Singh asked Pargat to give proof of the ‘lies’ being spread by the latter.
“What nonsense? Do you really think the people of Punjab will believe I’d ever collude with @BJP4India to delay procurement? And have you forgotten it affected BJP-led Haryana too? Or are you too naïve to understand these things?” Raveen Thukral, Media Advisor to Captain Amarinder Singh, said in a Twitter post.
“And do you have any proof for these lies? Or are you so irresponsible you believe you can get away with such trash? People of Punjab know me & know I always have & will stand with the farmers. I expect honesty from a former Indian hockey Capt,” he added.