Patiala : Claiming that he is ‘oath bound’ to eradicate corruption and drugs from Punjab, state Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Saturday asked people to give him “just five years to launch Punjab back on the path of progress”.
“Unlike others, I am not asking for 25 years, just give me five years and I will ensure that Punjab regains the glory it has lost,” he said while addressing people here during the ‘Halqe vich Captain’ programme. Amarinder said he is committed “under oath to finish corruption and drugs from the state in a timebound manner” and he will not spare even Parkash Singh Badal if found guilty.
The former Punjab CM reminded people how he had caught the then Punjab Public Service Commission Chairman Ravi Sidhu “red handed” during his previous regime and he is still undergoing the sentence in the case. Explaining his statement earlier that Congress legislators in Punjab will submit mass resignations in the event of the Supreme Court decision on the SYL (Sutlej-Yamuna Link) case goes against the state, he said, they would seek fresh mandate from people “to save our waters”.
“After resigning we will go back to people and seek their mandate and majority in the Vidhan Sabha to bring a legislation to save our water on the same pattern as I did in 2004 when I brought in Punjab Termination of Agreements Act,” he said.
Amarinder said he respects the Supreme Court’s decision but he would see that Punjab’s interests are protected legally and constitutionally. He announced if Congress forms the next government, it would bring Punjab specific ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) scheme to cater to the local needs.