Says, more shocking as victims had purchased liquor from govt approved vend
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today expressed grief over the death of three people after consuming spurious liquor. He expressed his sympathies to the bereaved families.
Warring condemned the Aam Aadmi Party government’s failure to control and prevent the production and supply of spurious liquor in the state. He pointed out, this was the second tragedy within a fortnight after 28 people died in a hooch tragedy in Majitha in Amritsar.
He said, it was more shocking because the victims had purchased the liquor reportedly from a government approved vend.
The Ludhiana MP said, the manufacturers of spurious liquor were cocking a snook at the government, as they had no fear of law. He pointed out, even when such a devastating tragedy had taken place just 15 days ago, another took place in Ludhiana.
There cannot be a worse fact check on the government’s so-called “war on drugs”, when people are dying of spurious liquor. “This government instead of claiming victory over drugs, should hang its head in shame and apologise to people of Punjab for failing to rein in the spurious liquor smugglers”, he remarked.
Bittu Slams AAP Govt’s Move to Acquire 25, 000 Acres Near Ludhiana, Calls It Devastating for Farmers
New Delhi, May 22 – Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Ravneet Singh Bittu has launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government for its decision to acquire 25, 000 acres of agricultural land in villages surrounding Ludhiana. He warned that the move would have disastrous consequences for local farmers and accused the state leadership of functioning like "property dealers."
In a strongly worded statement, Bittu demanded the immediate rollback of the land acquisition proposal, which was recently approved by the Punjab Cabinet. “The decision to acquire nearly all the agricultural land within a 10-km radius of Ludhiana, one of the most fertile and productive regions in Punjab, will devastate the farming community, ” Bittu said.
The Union Minister alleged that the proposal was orchestrated by Punjab Finance and Excise Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, whom he also blamed for recent hooch tragedies in Sangrur, Amritsar, and Ludhiana. Bittu further alleged that the plan was influenced by Delhi-based AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satinder Jain, both of whom he claimed are “camping in Punjab” and interfering in the state’s governance.
“Land in Ludhiana villages is valued between Rs 5 to 10 crore per acre. Once acquired, farmers will have no nearby alternative for relocation or continuing their livelihood in agriculture, ” he said, warning of a growing disconnect between the AAP leadership and Punjab’s rural heartland.
Bittu also pointed to the environmental cost of the move. “Punjab is already suffering from the effects of over-urbanisation. This massive land acquisition will only worsen the state’s ecological imbalance, ” he cautioned.