Cong to make farmers’ suicide a poll issue

Brar said the state government had not even thought it appropriate to order an inquiry into reported cases of suicides and said that Punjab Pradesh Congress would call a "Maha-panchayat" of farmers soon after the June 3 by-elections.

Brar demanded the waiver of all cooperative loans taken by farmers on the lines of the waiver of loans worth Rs 70,000 crore by the Central government, due from big industrialists.

Brar alleged that Badal had sold the interests of the state to promote his son as the Union Minister and poll promises like paying bonus on paddy and wheat crops to farmers, waiving off octroi and treating employees fairly in pay scales, were pushed under the carpet.

The Congress leader also demanded a bonus for farmers similar to the bonus of Rs 25 per quintal on wheat paid by the Madhya Pradesh government out of its own resources.

Brar also defended the policy of giving free power to the agriculture sector and said this policy was actually framed by Rajinder Kaur Bhattal during her tenure as the Chief Minister and Badal had stolen the idea but was not able to implement it in true spirit. Brar alleged that Badal’s son Sukhbir was interfering in the transfers of senior officers .

and his meddling in day to day working of the government was increasing.Speaking about the country’s nuclear programme, the Congress leader condemned the USA and other developed countries. He suspected that it would go for snap polls after the budget session to seek a mandate on nuclear explosions. He also said that if war broke out between India and Pakistan, Punjab on both sides, would be the worst affected and sought a policy statement by Badal on this issue.

Partap Singh Bajwa, former Congress minister who accompanied Brar, said the state government had planned to increase bus fares by 60 per cent soon after the by-elections. He said Badal being a transporter, was promoting interests of private transporters and had added 100 new buses into his private fleet. He said that Badal should explain from where got the money to purchase new buses.

Vijay Sathi, a former MLA, Manjit Singh, organising secretary of PPCC, Malkit Singh Birmi, former minister and Manjit Singh Ghasitpur, president District Youth Congress accompanied Brar to address election meetings in Tarn Taran.