Pesticide row: Cong questions clean chit to Pb Agri Minister

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Sunil Jakhar today questioned the state government for giving a clean chit to Agriculture Minister Tota Singh in the pesticide scam, even as the investigation was on.
"Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal have given a clean chit to Tota Singh even when the investigation is still going on. It seems like directing the investigators that you have to do what (they) want," he said.
This was tantamount to "intimidating" the investigation team, Jakhar said.
Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had emphasized last week, that Tota Singh was innocent, in the spurious pesticides row, saying there was no need for him to quit as the demand for his resignation by farmers and Congress was "politically motivated".

Jakhar said the Agriculture minister should resign on moral grounds in the wake of the scam which led to massive damage to the cotton crops in the state by whitefly attack.
"Even if Tota Singh has nothing to with this scam, how can he claim ignorance that being a minister he was not even aware of the spurious pesticides business, that is flourishing in Punjab. On moral grounds, he has to step down," he said.

The Congress leader also accused the SAD-BJP government of being biased while distributing compensation to farmers who suffered crop losses.
"Double standards are being applied for distribution of compensation cheques to farmers," he alleged.

Cotton growers who have suffered massive damage in his Fazilka Assembly constituency are not getting redressal, Jakhar said, adding, "But those in Lambi, the constituency of the Chief Minister, are getting full compensation."
The Congress leader said that he would stage dharna in front the Chief Minister's house if farmers in Fazilka were not given adequate compensation.
The Punjab government had announced over Rs 600 crore of compensation for crop loss.