CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday hit out at his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of failing to fulfil promises made to the people of Punjab and alleging that he was more concerned about Haryana.
Addressing a press conference, Saini said Mann should first account for the promises made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) before it came to power in Punjab and explain how many of them had been fulfilled.
With the Punjab Assembly elections only a few months away, Saini alleged that the people were again being offered promises and announcements aimed at misleading them.
He said Mann was now speaking at public meetings about releasing pension amounts for one or two months. “If the intention was to provide benefits to women, why were these benefits not given from the very first year?” he asked.
Saini said the Haryana government had honoured its commitment to women by deciding in its first Budget to provide Rs 2,100 to eligible women. He said the people of Punjab deserved an account of the promises made to them rather than what he called another round of political announcements.
The Haryana chief minister also attacked the AAP’s claim of being a ‘staunchly honest’ party, saying its record in Punjab raised questions over the claim.
“The Aam Aadmi Party used to call itself staunchly honest, but looking at the condition of Punjab today, one fails to understand what kind of honesty this is,” Saini said.
He alleged that the people of Punjab had suffered exploitation under the Congress and that the AAP had taken it further. He said people were aware of the ground reality and would not be misled by political rhetoric and last-minute announcements.
Saini also spoke about Bhiwani, popularly known as Chhoti Kashi, and its contribution to Haryana and the country. He said sportspersons from the district had won five gold medals and credited their success to their dedication and the state government’s sports policy.
He also referred to Bhiwani’s association with AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and said this should be kept in mind while making allegations about the district. He alleged that AAP leaders had developed a habit of making false statements and said people in Haryana understood the difference between political rhetoric and ground reality.