It is raining freebies in Punjab, free LPG cylinder to every family living below poverty line and free laptop to every student of Class 11 and 12 of all government schools in the state are some of promises made by the SAD in its election manifesto released on Sunday.
The SAD manifesto seems high on populism, especially for a state which is reeling under debt. The manifesto of Akali Dal seems to be making up for the party’s inability to perform in the field of education and health. The SAD is promising free education to girls up till the graduation-level. The students of Class 9 and 10 will be provided bicycles. The party has also promised to give health cover of `2 lakh to blue card holders.
Releasing its manifesto in Ludhiana, SAD president said that their party has promised free power for tubewells and uninterrupted river water for irrigation. The SAD has also promised that it would make Punjab a power surplus state in one year and turn Malwa (southern Punjab) into a textile hub.
In the season when everyone is talking about corruption, the Akali Dal has also promised to show zero tolerance towards corruption in its manifesto. The party has promised to state Lokpal on the lines of Jan Lokpal.
The party has promised free residential plots for all landless in villages, besides it has promised to upgrade the airports of the state in the next to years, if the party is voted to power. The SAD also mentioned peace and communal harmony as its agenda in its election manifesto.
Meanwhile, taking a dig at the Akali Dal promise of “zero tolerance” towards corruption in its manifesto, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt. Amarinder Singh remar-ked, “Akalis’ promise of zero tolerance to corruption in their manifesto sounds like devil quoting scriptures”.
Blasting SADs claims of strengthening a strong Lokayukta, he asked, if they were so sincere why they did not do it during the last five years.
He said, it was the Congress government headed by him which had appointed Lokpal headed by Justice Dhaliwal. But after the Akalis came to power they weakened the institution. He said, Akali-BJP government was the most corrupt government in Punjab since independence and their claims over zero tolerance to corruption sound quite paradoxical.