Punjab Congress MLA from Ferozepur,Parminder Singh,on Tuesday slammed Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal for allegedly ignoring him while laying the foundation of development projects in his constituency. This had only reinforced the charges of discrimination levelled against the deputy chief minister not only by the Congress but also by BJP MP from Amritsar,Navjot Singh Sidhu, Singh said. He added: Sukhbir,who was on a foundation stone laying spree in Ferozepur today,did not mention my name on the foundation stone for sewerage works in the area nor was I invited to the function. The foundation stone carried the names of state BJP chief Kamal Sharma and former Ferozepur MLA Sukhpal Singh Nannu,who lost the last Assembly election. He further said that Sukhbir also laid foundation stones at Talwandi Bhai,which carried the name of Ferozepur Rural MLA Joginder Singh from SAD. Similarly,Zira MLA Hari Singh Ziras name was also mentioned on the foundation stone, said Singh. This was stark and a blatant case of discrimination. No further proof is needed to show that against the laid down norms,the SAD-BJP government was ignoring Congress MLAs, he said,adding that this happened on the same day when Sukhbir laid the foundation stones in the constituencies represented by other Congress and SAD MLAs. Preference was being given to leaders from the ruling alliance designated as halqa (area) incharges in a system that was extra-constitutional, said Singh.
