SAD-BJP alliance an 'unholy act', says Punjab Congress chief

After parting ways in Haryana, the continuation of the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab is an "unholy act", Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said here on Monday.

Talking to media persons after addressing two rallies in support of Congress' Phagwara nominee Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Jakhar said the SAD-BJP alliance was a marriage of convenience, continuing under political compulsion.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to contest the assembly polls in Haryana in alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) after the BJP did not agree to its demand for 20 to 25 seats.

Jakahr asked PM Narendra Modi as to how his party was in alliance with the SAD, which was the "mother of corruption".

"Modi was trumpeting internationally that his government was clean but his party was in an unholy alliance with the SAD that is the mother of corruption," said Jakhar.

Addressing party workers at Lakhpur village, Jakhar termed the bypolls a mid-term examination for the state government.

"We will definitely pass it with full marks on the strength of the state government's performance," he claimed.

He warned against "anti-farmer" policies of the Union government, alleging that American president Donald Trump had given a hug to Modi on a condition.

Trump had asked Modi not to buy fuel from Iran, who had threatened that it would not buy 'basmati' from India, he said.

"This will ruin Punjab farmers whose basmati is bought by Iran," he said, terming the foreign policy of the Modi government a flawed one.

The Congress chief also equated the GST on langar (community kitchen) a 'jaziya', asking why the Badals, who led the previous government in the state, did not oppose it.

"Not even the Mughals or British had imposed tax on Guru ka Langar," he said, alleging that the Badals supported Modi on this just to save the "kursi" (post) of Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

He accused the Union minister of telling lies about the transfer of GST amount to the SGPC by the state government.

The state Congress chief also alleged that the Union government was playing with the future of the poor students in connection with the post-matric scholarship scheme.

"The Congress-led UPA government gave 90 per cent grant for the scheme, asking the state government to bear only 10 per cent but the BJP-led NDA government reversed it," he alleged.

He accused the SAD of double speak.

If Modi gave Rs 2,000 to farmers, the Badals cheered for him but when Chief Minister Amarinder Singh waived loans up to Rs 2 lakh, they found fault with it, the Congress chief said.