Congress slams Akali for 'silence' on Rs 6,000 farm support

The Punjab Congress on Saturday slammed the Shiromani Akali Dal for its "silence" on the Rs 6,000 annual support scheme announced for the farmers in the interim Union budget, daring the BJP ally to justify that the "meagre" amount could help address the farm crisis.

Accusing the BJP government of insulting the farming community with the Rs 500-per month support, the Congress asked the Akali Dal to leave the ministerial post in the Union cabinet on the farmers' issue.

"On each and every issue, you can always find the statement or tweet from the Akali Dal. But, ever since the budget has been announced, not even a single word has been uttered by it. Neither (Parkash Singh) Badal 'sahib', Sukhbir (Badal) nor minister 'sahiba' (Harsimrat Kaur Badal) made any statement on it," Congress state president Sunil Jakhar said while addressing the media here.

"This silence itself shows that Akali Dal has kneeled before the BJP government at the Centre," Jakhar said.

The Gurdaspur MP said he wanted to hear Sukhbir Badal state that the
"Akali Dal should leave the cabinet berth (held by Harsimrat) at the Centre," Jakhar demanded. "They can neither speak for the welfare of farmers or 'panth' (Sikh community). They just want to save their own seat."