AKHARA(LUDHIANA): The rebel Congress member of Lok Sabha, Jagmit Singh Brar, who has been critical of Chief Minister, Beant Singh, said that Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao was anti Punjab.
Center’s refusal to grant financial assistance to Punjab for the security set up, he said, “clearly shows the kind of concern PM, Home Minister and Finance Minister have for Punjab.”
Talking to media persons before launching the second phase of his Lok Yudh Morcha, at Akhara, 45kms from Ludhiana, Brar disclosed that all the 17 MPs from Punjab had taken up with the Center and) the Finance Commission Chairman K.C. Pant that Rs 6,200 crore outstanding against the state as accumulated security expenditure be waived off and Rs. 600 crore annual bill be met by the Center. Terming it as the greatest betrayal by the Congress Governments against Punjab, he said that he would take up the issue in the winter session of Parliament, commencing on Dec.7. Brar said that the heavy debt requiring payment of Rs 825 crore as annual installment of interest alone would shatter the state’s economy and necessitate imposition or higher taxes on people.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 2, 1994
