Chandigarh: Punjab’s leader of opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday accused state’s finance minister, Harpal Singh Cheema, of bringing the economy to the verge of a collapse and running a “ministry of debt-raising”.
Alleging that the state’s debt had increased under the Aam Aadmi Party’s watch, Bajwa said: “Before them, the Punjab’s outstanding debt was Rs 2.82 lakh crore at the end of financial year 2021-22.By the end of the current fiscal year (2024-25), this figure will be Rs 3.74 lakh crore.”. The Qadian legislator Bajwa alleged that the state had no money even to pay the staff’s salaries and pensions on time, and this had led to protests of late.
Recalling how in March, spurious liquor had killed 20-odd people in chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s home district, Sangrur, the LoP said: “Cheema also holds the excise portfolio and his silence on how the tragedy happened suggest that he might be trying to shield the culprits?” The AAP govt also replicated Delhi’s controversial liquor policy that is now under investigation, so Punjab’s liquor policy also warrants a judicial inquiry.”
