M A I N   N E W S

Punjab an ‘orphan’ state: Gujral
Failure to pursue waiving Rs 5800 cr central loan
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 22
Terming Punjab as an “orphan” state, a former Prime Minister, Mr Inder Kumar Gujral, today accused both the Shiromani Akali Dal chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, of ignoring the interests of the state by having failed to pursue the case pertaining to waiving of the Rs 5,800-crore Central loan, incurred on combating decade-long terrorism in the state.

Interestingly, it was Mr Gujral who had announced in 1997 during his term as Prime Minister that since a huge amount of money was spent on fighting the proxy war which was a matter of national defence, the Rs 5,800-crore loan would be waived for which provisions would be made in the ninth and 10th Finance Commission reports.

In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, Mr Gujral said it was wrong to create an impression that the loan was not waived by the Centre. “As a matter of fact, after the decision to waive the loan was taken by me, it was also endorsed by the Union Cabinet and later also by my successor Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. This was also conveyed to Mr Badal,” said Mr Gujral. He alleged that though to gain political mileage, both the SAD and the Congress had been indulging in mudslinging over the issue, but they failed to guard interests of the state, which was clear from their failure to take up the case with the Centre in a proper manner.

A sum of Rs 3600 crore was to be waived after the Ninth Finance Commission report and rest of the loan amount was to be waived after the 10th commission report. Now three years have lapsed after the 10th Finance Commission report, but during this period nobody has ever approached me or the NDA government, of which Mr Badal and his party was partner. Same is the case with the present state government. Though they have been paying instalments, but now they have waken up suddenly to create newspaper headlines,” said Mr Gujral adding that it was a unique case wherein such a huge loan was waived by the Centre.

“The loan was waived by me for the welfare of Punjab despite the fact that the SAD opposed me in Parliament. But I regret their style of functioning, which needs a good deal of polishing. Compare them with Mr Chandrababu Naidu, who rushes to Delhi even if his state faces a small problem,” Mr Gujral said. “It is amazing to find that on the one hand the state government was facing a financial crunch and on the other it failed to realise the money. It seems that Punjab is an orphan state,” rued Mr Gujral adding that things had come to such a pass that no efforts were being made to realise the amount of Rs 26 crore for the completion of the Domoria Bridge, despite its being the 100 per cent Central-funded project.

Talking about the remedial measures needed for realising the Rs 5,800-crore loan amount, Mr Gujral said since it was a matter which should be above petty politics, the state government should call an all-party meeting and both Mr Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh should approach the Centre with a joint delegation of MLAs and MPs. “If both of them hesitate to take the initiative, I am ready to do that. And if both of them fail to find a common place to meet, I can offer my home for the same,” said Mr Gujral flaunting his typical smile.