Come out of "medieval" mindset, Amarinder tells Badal

Senior Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh today advised Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to come out of his "medieval" mindset as the world had moved past his two centuries old 'Sangat Darshan' idea.
"Punjab today does not need your medieval practice of distributing grants at your whims, it needs proper and long term planning", Amarinder, the deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha said here while addressing a public meeting organised by the local MLA Hardayal Kambhoj here.
Reacting to Badal's criticism of his public meetings and mass contact programme, Amarinder alleged, "the mass contact programmes are like these organised by us where people are not forced and lured with bogus cheques, but come of their own like they are coming in the Congress meetings".

He reiterated that Badal could not think beyond his "arcane" 'Sangat Darshan' programmes that eventually led to "eroding" economy with Rs 1.30 lakh crore debt, unemployment and closure of the industry.
Pointing out that the drug scourge was eating into vitals of the society, the former Chief Minister held Akalis "responsible" for it alleging that drug smugglers were protected and patronised by them (the Akalis) only.
The Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar alleged that while small time drug addicts were being jailed, the big smugglers were roaming free with Badals' "help".

He asked Badal to look beyond his personal and family interests and think about Punjab.

He said wherever he was going people were coming out in huge numbers to express support and solidarity wanting to get rid of the Akalis at the earliest.
Speaking on the occasion, the Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar said, Capt Amarinder's rallies had created "storm" across Punjab and "shaken" the Akali-BJP regime.