M A I N   N E W S

Cong, SAD to lock horns over Nanavati report, farmers’ suicides
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 4
A number of high-voltage political issues such as terrorism in the ‘90s, report of the Nanavati Commission on the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, action taken report on the findings of the Nehra Commission that inquired into the allegations against Mr Raninder Singh, son of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, suicide by farmers and issues related to paddy procurement will dominate the session of the Punjab Assembly, scheduled to begin tomorrow.

The session, perhaps one of the briefest, is expected to be stormy. The Business Advisory Committee of the House will meet tomorrow at 11 am to finalise the remaining schedule of the session.

The House will meet tomorrow and after the obituary references, it is expected to be adjourned. There are indications that the House will meet again for two days starting on October 13, a day after Dasehra. However, the exact information in this connection will only be available after the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee.

This session has been especially called to discuss the issue of terrorism. While, Capt Amarinder Singh had alleged that the SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had provided the atmosphere for the outspread of terrorism, Mr Badal, in his counter allegation, had said it was the Congress that was responsible for promoting terrorism in the state. Both leaders had challenged each other to discuss the issue on the floor of the House.

For the past several days, the Chief Minister’s close associates have used the services of officials of the Public Relations Department to collect all sorts of material available against Mr Badal since 1960s, when he became active on the Punjab’s political front to take him on the House, the SAD has collected most of the statements made by Capt Amarinder Singh from 1984 onwards, when he quit the Congress and joined the SAD. Obviously, it would be an interesting verbal duel in the House between the two.

For the SAD, the issue of paddy procurement has come at the most appropriate time. The party would like to make the full use of it in House to “attack” the treasurer benches. Suicide by a farmer, because of non procurement of paddy in Kapurthala district has given a new dimension to the whole issue.

The legislative wing of the SAD met here today under the chairmanship of Mr Badal. It has sought a debate in the House on the procurement, terrorism, the Nanavati Commission report and the Nehra Commission report.

The SAD MLAs passed a resolution condemning the Capt Amarinder Singh government for its alleged failure to present Punjab’s case with regard to paddy procurement before the Union Government in proper perspective. They also criticised the government for not taking an interest in enhancing the minimum support price of various crops.

The SAD MLAs said during the SAD-BJP rule, the state government had succeeded in managing an average increase in the price of paddy to the tune of Rs 44 per quintal every year, which had come down Rs 20 per quintal during the Congress rule. They also condemned the action of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau and the CBI against former Akali ministers, Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon, respectively. They said it was aimed at giving a bad name to the SAD at a time when the Assembly elections were nearing.