Cong, AAP are "enemy parties of Punjab": Badal

Dubbing Congress and Aam Aadmi Party as the "enemy parties of Punjab", Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called upon the people of the poll-bound state to distinguish between own people and strangers and ensure that the reigns of state are given in safe hands.
Addressing the people during Sangat Darshan in Budhlada assembly constituency here, the five-time CM alleged that Congress can never think about the betterment of Punjab.
"Congress has ruled over country for a long time but has always committed economic, social and religious atrocities on Punjab. On the other hand SAD is the party that has always worked to safeguard interests of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat," he said.

Dubbing Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal as "anti-Punjab", he said that neither Kejriwal was aware of the issues of Punjab nor he knows about people of Punjab.
"AAP has no agenda for development and promotion of the Punjabis and is trying to entice the voters by mere slogan raising. The governments do not work on baseless slogans instead one has to set agendas for development and take initiatives to wipe off miseries of people," Badal said.
He said the agenda of SAD-BJP coalition has always been that of development, brotherhood and in future the coalition will reiterate this agenda.

Warning the people of Punjab, Badal said that "if the Congress or AAP comes in power even by mistake, these parties will stop the benefit of free power, water, atta dal, shagan scheme and many other benefits being given to them...They are the enemy parties of Punjab".

He asked the people of Punjab to remember that when Capt Amarinder Singh led Congress government was in power (2002-7), "he had stopped the benefit of free power and water and the same was restarted after the SAD-BJP coalition raised voice for it".
"Similarly, the Amarinder Singh led government had imposed blanket ban on government recruitments," he said.

Later, talking to reporters, Badal while replying to a query on assembly segment from where he will contest the elections, said that he will follow the orders of party in this regard.
"In politics, the party is supreme and during my entire life I have been following the orders of my party," the 89-year-old CM said.
Holding Congress responsible for the Satluj Yamuna Link "fiasco", the Chief Minister alleged that "the Congress leaders are puppets in the hands of high command".
"Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi forced the then Chief Minister Darbara Singh to follow her diktat on issues of water. Thereafter, playing another trick with Punjabis, she herself started the digging up work of the SYL canal in Punjab," he stated.