Former Punjab Education Minister and Jalandhar MLA Pargat Singh has strongly criticized the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's (SGPC) decision to summon Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. He labeled the move as imprudent and urged the state government to steer clear of internal religious matters unrelated to sacrilege.
Questioning the Focus on Sacrilege Cases
Pargat Singh emphasized that the real incidents of sacrilege occurred in Bargari and Behbal Kalan. He accused the Punjab government of failing to take concrete action against Dera Sacha Sauda, despite claiming to approve prosecution. The government evaded responsibility where actual sacrilege happened and instead politicized internal religious affairs, he stated. According to the MLA, such actions are not in the interest of the nation, society, or the Sikh community.
Exposing MGNREGA Shortfalls in Punjab and Nationally
Shifting focus to economic issues, the former minister launched a sharp critique of the Central government's changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) framework and alleged corruption within the scheme. He pointed out that during the BJP-led central government's tenure, even 50 days of employment out of the guaranteed 100 could not be achieved. Increasing the limit to 125 days is not sustainable, he argued, urging the Centre to first ensure effective implementation of the 100-day guarantee and curb corruption.
Providing specific data, Pargat Singh revealed that over the past three years, Punjab has managed an average of only 38 days of employment under MGNREGA. He detailed the financials: Last year, India spent a total of ₹99,000 crore on MGNREGA, with state governments contributing ₹10,000 crore. Punjab's expenditure was ₹1,450 crore, including ₹99 crore from its own treasury. He warned that if the current trend continues, Punjab's share this year could balloon to ₹550 crore.
Recalling the scheme's origins, he noted that MGNREGA was launched during former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's tenure to provide employment to the unemployed and poor women, with around 22 crore people across the country associated with it.
Doubts on AAP's Anti-Drug Campaign Efficacy
Pargat Singh also took aim at the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) flagship anti-drug initiatives. His comments came as AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal launched the second phase of the anti-drug campaign in Jalandhar. "Can he explain whether the drug menace was eliminated in the first phase? Why is there a need for a second phase?" Singh questioned. He alleged that the Punjab government repeatedly announces 'scripted drives' that last only 7 or 10 days, implying a lack of sustained and serious effort to tackle the state's drug problem.
The MLA's multifaceted critique highlights significant political and governance challenges in Punjab, spanning religious diplomacy, rural employment guarantees, and public health policy.
