Faridkot: Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh said on Sunday that serving the poor was the party's 'dharma' and its government at the Centre brought in the Food Security Bill in keeping with that spirit. Claiming that the party was serving the poor right since Independence, Amarinder at a rally in Jaito said the Food Security Bill brought in Parliament will enable the poor across the country to get 'aata' (wheat flour) for Rs 1 per kg.
Expressing grave concern over suicide by farmers after failing to get remunerative returns for their produce, he asked Akalis, particularly Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as to what he had done for them.
He alleged the farmers were feeling so distressed and upset that quite a number of them had committed suicide after having failed to repay their loans or feed their families.
Addressing the meeting at the Ram Lila Grounds in support of party candidate Joginder Singh Panjgraian, Capt Amarinder asked the ruling Akalis to list out their agenda.
He said even for the 'aata-daal' scheme, which the Akalis have been trumpeting as their own, the wheat and grants were being provided by the Government of India.
Lashing out at the Akalis for spreading out lies and misleading people by saying that the Congress will stop all the welfare schemes, he asked, "Why should we and it is our government which is providing support to and sustaining their welfare schemes and when we can support them why should we stop these ourselves."
Asking people not to get misled by the Akali propaganda, he told them to draw comparison between the Congress rule between 2002 and 2007 with that of the Akalis between 2007 and 2012.
"You will see for yourself which government was better," he told them seeking votes for Panjgraina.
Taking a dig at Akalis' manifesto which they released today, he said, they are promising to save the riparian rights of Punjab over its river waters.
"They have probably forgotten that we have already enacted an act repealing all the water sharing treaties and saving our waters way back in 2005," he pointed out amid thunderous applause.
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