Sukhbir Badal demands CBI probe into multi-thousand crore scam in central food material sent as relief to Punjab

Ferozepur: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today demanded a CBI probe into the alleged multi-thousand crore scam in central food material sent as relief to the State, saying a large amount of wheat and pulses sent by the centre for 1.4 crore Punjabis had found its way to the open market via Congress leaders.

Addressing the media persons here after visiting Malout, Balluana, Abohar, Fazilka, Jalalabad, and Guruharsahai where he flagged off wheat trucks carrying a total of 5,000 quintals of wheat to Golden Temple in Amritsar, the SAD President said he had brought the issue of diversion of central food stock to Congressmen in Punjab to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi also. Terming this as a crime against humanity, Sukhbir said it was shocking that even as migrant labourers slept hungry in Punjab, the State government allowed the diversion of wheat and pulses to Congress leaders who in turn sold the stocks in the open market. Demanding a central inquiry into the entire scam, he said the food stock was meant for half of the State’s population but not even ten per cent of the people received the relief. "The magnitude of the fraud is mind boggling. All Congressmen responsible for this crime should be brought to book immediately".
 
The SAD President also highlighted how the liquor mafia in league with Congress leaders and legislators had looted Rs 5,600 crore from the State exchequer. He said the State excise department had suffered this huge loss because the government had allowed distilleries run by Congress leaders and their friends and advisors to take out truckloads of liquor without paying any excise duty. He said simultaneously the distilleries also supplied ENA (Extra Neutral Alcohol) to Congress leaders who in turn bottled it as IMFL liquor in illegal bottling plants run by them. When questioned about Pradesh Congress President Sunil Jakhar’s claim that the SAD should bring a resolution banning liquor in the State in the State assembly, Sukhbir said the Congress party had absolute majority in the Vidhan Sabha and it could easily do this on its own.
 
The SAD President said the mining mafia had got so bold that it had recently murdered a journalist who had been consistently writing against it. He said it was unfortunate crucial evidence was lost after the murder of journalist Sanpreet Singh of Nawanshahr with the police treating it as an accident before a post mortem of his remains revealed that he had been stabbed fourteen times. He also condemned the registration of a false case against senior journalist Jai Singh Chhibber.
The SAD President also distributed sanitisers at all the locations taking the total number of sanitisers distributed to 50,000.
Sukhbir also paid a visit to the civil hospital in Ferozepur and provided a ventilator from MPLAD fund. On this occasion he said one ventilator each has been provided in Muktsar and Ferozepur, one ventilator van has been provided in Jalalabad
The leaders present at all the places included Malout, Balluana, Abohar, Fazilka, Guruharshai, Ferozpur.