Repeated scams in AAP regime exposed Punjab CM: Sukhbir

Jalandhar, Feb 8 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said repeated scams in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime, including the latest admission in the high court that the Naib Tehsildar recruitment process was scam ridden, had exposed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and proven that the latter's government was corruption-ridden.

Talking to the media here, the SAD President said AAP had loudly proclaimed that it would give jobs on merit to students. "Forget doing this, the manner in which all recruitment conducted by the government has been vitiated and proved AAP does not have the welfare of youth at heart," he said.

Badal said the vitiation of the recruitment process of various categories had demoralised the youth. "The youth were promised lakhs of jobs but the AAP government is not even filling vacancies in government departments. Even 30,000 contractual employees are awaiting regularisation of their services."

He also took on Mann for "indulging in gimmicks" and "resorting to a name changing spree at the cost of the public exchequer". "First Seva Kendra established by the previous SAD government were changed to Mohalla Clinics after painting the buildings. Now 540 rural dispensaries have been turned into Aam Aadmi clinics at exorbitant costs. Doctors working in busy hospitals were being forced to do duty in these clinics."

Badal also claimed the same tactic was used to establish the so called Schools of Eminence. "These are nothing but meritorious schools established by Parkash Singh Badal which have been given a new name."

Asking the Chief Minister to tell one dispensary, school or building his government had established, Badal said: "We are witnessing the destruction of the health and education sector in the state."

He alleged that the state was being pushed into an era of darkness with the PSPCL being bankrupted by the AAP government.

He said the government was not releasing subsidy of Rs 4,870 crore due to the power utility, besides Rs 2,605 crore due from government departments.

He said the manner in which PSPCL was starved of funds was leading to power cuts in winter. "The situation could take a turn for the worse and even endanger the paddy crop in summer," he added.