AAP, Akali Dal flay Captain government for appointing six minister-rank advisers
CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday flayed the appointment of six Congress MLAS as advisers (minister of cabinet rank) to the chief minister, terming the decision as a blatant violation of the Constitution, besides plundering of the public money.
AAP state president and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann said while the youth are not getting jobs in Punjab, the government is squandering public money for petty political ends.
The poor and Dalit children at anganwadi centres were deprived of “daliya-roti” for more than two months now, while the elderly, widows and the physically challenged were desperately crying for ₹2500 monthly pension, so as the eligible youth employment allowance.
He said that MNREGA workers were without work and the deepening agrarian crisis is keeping the community on its toes. Farmers are under debt, while the government was passing the buck by citing financial crunch in the state, he added.
Taking a jibe at Capt Amarinder Singh, Mann said that only those who had an excessive burden upon their shoulders required advisers and not those who have no work, saying that in the political history of the state, Amarinder was the only chief minister without work.
Condemning the move, SAD leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia said the Congress government was burdening the state exchequer with the appointment of six legislators as advisors in the rank of cabinet ministers.
Addressing the media, Majithia said it was shocking that the government appointed five legislators as advisors in the rank of cabinet minister and one MLA as adviser in the rank of minister of state at a time when it was denying benefits to all sections of society.
“What advice can a legislator offer to a two-time chief minister? Is the Congress’ thought process so bankrupted and has it become devoid of morality and ethics that it is ready to slash the throat of the common man to save itself from imminent collapse?” he asked.