Badal family used state exchequer for personal benefits: Sidhu

Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today accused Badal family of looting the state and using the state's exchequer in the last 10 years for its "personal benefits".
Also, the tenure of SAD-BJP regime would be remembered as the period of "economic terrorism", he said addressing a gathering on the occasion of historical Chhapar mela here.
The previous regime gave the slogan of "Raj Nahi Sewa" (service not rule) but acted quite contrary to it, the minister said.
The Badal family used the exchequer of Punjab during the previous 10 years for its "personal benefit" to such an extent that has left the state and its people in dire straits financially, Sidhu alleged.

He also alleged that with a view to monopolise every single business in the state, the Badal family looted Punjab to its "heart's content".
Terming the 'Jabar Virodhi Lehar' of SAD a "political drama", Sidhu said those who themselves indulged in "cruelties and excesses" cannot accuse the government elected by the people.

The people very well know that it was during the SAD-BJP rule that Bargari incident, murder of a Dalit in Abohar, Moga bus incident took place, he said.
Besides this, the drug trade, allegedly patronised by the previous regime, took heavy toll on the youth and besides this, more than 7,000 farmers committed suicide in the state, Sidhu claimed.

On the occasion, the minister announced a grant of Rs 20 lakh for development works in the Chhapar.
Finance & Planning Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said the "mis-governance" during the past 10 years has left Punjab reeling under a debt of Rs 3.50 lakh crore today.
He said the debt of scores of farmers would be waved in future for which the chief minister is making strenuous efforts.
The minister asked people to give some time to the Congress government to bring the state back on track economically.
Manpreet alleged that the SAD-BJP indulged in "gross misuse" of the public money which saw the state reeling under grave economic crisis by the time the Congress assumed power.

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunil Jakhar said the party would pay back the gratitude of every single vote of the people.