Why only Chhotepur, why not probe Ford funding: Amarinder Singh to Kejriwal

Captain Amarinder Singh asked Arvind Kejriwal as why he does not get his own Ford Foundation funding probed.

GURDASPUR: Punjab Congress Chief Captain Amarinder Singh today asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as why he does not get his own Ford Foundation funding probed along with Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who is under fire for allegedly taking bribe for issuing tickets.

While the AAP leaders from Delhi and Uttar Pardesh were maligning Chhotepur for accepting party fund, why was Kejriwal silent on the massive money Sukhpal Khaira (AAP's NRI wing incharge) and other leaders collected from the NRIs in United States and Canada when they visited these countries in last few months, he alleged.

He also sought a probe into the funding of Arvind Kejriwal's NGO which was "funded" by the Ford Foundation which in turn "gets money from the CIA".

He also asked the Delhi Chief Minister how he could run an NGO while being in the service of the union government.

"Charity begins at home and better begin the probe with your own funding from Ford foundation that is so suspicious and controversial", he told Kejriwal.

On Congress party's stand on Chhotepur and whether the party will welcome him back, the PCC president said, "Congress party's doors are open for everyone whether Chhotepur, Navjot Sidhu (cricktere-turned-politician), Pargat Singh or Inderbir Bolaria (supended Akali Dal MLAs)".

However, he made it categorically clear that there was no direct communication between the Congress party and these leaders.

Speaking on the occasion, Bajwa said the Congress party has decided to launch a sustained campaign for getting justice for the farmers with the theme ‘kisana naal insaf  karo, saara karza maaf karo’ (do justice with farmers, waive off their all loans).

He reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi about BJP’s manifesto promise to implement Swaminathan Commission report on agriculture.

He said the Modi government had waived off Rs 1.14 lakh crore debt of its "favourite industrialists" and asked why then it cannot waive off the loans of farmers which amount to Rs 56,000 crore.

Addressing the dharna, Asha Kumari exhorted the party workers to ensure that the Congress forms the government in the state. She alleged that Akalis and the BJP had "devastated" Punjab over the last 10 years.

Chairperson of Congress Campaign Committee Ambika Soni accused the Badals of ignoring Punjab and keeping everything within the family.

She said, on the one hand, there is a leader like Capt Amarinder who risked his Chief Ministership to save Punjab’s waters and on the other hand, there are Badals who are bothered about themselves only.

Former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said the Congress government led by Manmohan Singh had provided everything to Punjab as demanded by Badal, while on the other hand, BJP Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not even prepared to meet him.

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