Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh today condemned the state Cabinet's decision to include water supply and sewerage charges to electricity bills of urban consumers and termed it as "a classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul".
"The state government's decision yesterday to impose water and sewerage cess on electricity bills reflects its bad financial management. It is a classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul," he said in a statement here.
Amarinder said, the government has simply passed the onus of its failure to collect water and sewerage charges on all the power consumers.
Besides, the state government has also not clarified whether the dues charged by the local bodies' for the supply of water and sewerage system stand withdrawn, he said.
"If it is so, functioning of municipal bodies' will further get paralysed as they are already reeling under severe financial strain," the state Congress Chief said.
Yesterday, the Punjab Cabinet had approved introduction of a scheme to include water supply and sewerage charges in electricity bills of urban consumers in the state.
Under the new system, a fixed amount based on slabs of power consumption would be added to power bills and thus no separate bill for water supply and sewerage would be generated.
"By imposing cess here and there the state government is simply trying to clutch on the straws while burdening the common man," the former Chief Minster said.
This government will be remembered for imposing cess on almost everything be it diesel, petrol, electricity or property transfer, he said, adding, "It is already in a state of financial comatose."
Amarinder also condemned the alleged murder of a jeweller R K Verma who was also a party office bearer from Ludhiana and was killed after being robbed of a huge quantity of gold ornaments.
The way he was abducted from Barnala-Ludhiana Road in broad daylight only proved how bad the law and order situation was in Punjab, he said.
"Lawlessness and anarchy had become norm of the day. While earlier people could not dare to venture out on roads after the sunset, now these roads are not safe even during the day time," Amarinder said.
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Reiterating that all false FIRs against Congress workers will be cancelled if the party comes to power, Amarinder said, "I am under oath to do it immediately after taking over."
"Not only will the false FIRs be cancelled but those responsible, whether the Akalis or police personnel, will be booked for victimising and persecuting people," he said.
On drug problem Amarinder said, "When I pledged under oath of the Gutka Sahib to finish the problem within four weeks, I made the promise with full responsibility and I am reiterating it again that I will do it before four weeks."
He, however, refused to reveal the strategy and said, "Everyone knows who are the people responsible for the problem and if Congress forms the government in Punjab it will catch them right away."
Commenting on the state government's reported move to subject students to dope tests, Amarinder said, "On one hand the state government is denying existence of the problem and on the other it is mooting dope test for students."
Suggesting the government must first acknowledge the existence of the problem before seeking solutions, he said, "Drug addiction has to be treated as a disease, not as a crime and addicts must not be treated like criminals as the state government is doing."
"Instead, those responsible for producing, supplying and peddling of the drugs need to be taken to the task," he said.
Amarinder asserted that there is complete unity within the party across the state and also in Derabassi.
Clarifying that it is not up to him to announce a party candidate, he said it is the Congress president's prerogative as due process of screening and selection is followed in the party.
"Let me assure you, the most deserving candidates with maximum winning chance will get tickets," he said.
