'What good has happened in Punjab in past 1 year': Anurag Thakur slams AAP

Chandigarh: Union minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday alleged that corruption is "breaking records" and the mafia is booming under the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab, wondering what good has happened in the last one year of the AAP dispensation.

He also attacked the Mann government for allegedly failing to fulfil its poll promises and listed the Centre's decisions for Punjab like setting up new highways, approving a smart city in Jalandhar, opening of the Kartarpur corridor, ropeway project for Hemkunt Sahib, forming SIT in 1984-anti-Sikh riots.

Addressing the media in Jalandhar ahead of the May 10 Lok Sabha bypoll, the information and broadcasting minister also attacked AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly spending Rs 45 crore on renovation of his official residence and getting security cover of two states.

Kejriwal used to say he will neither take security nor a big bungalow, he said.

"They (AAP) seek votes in the name of 'aam aadmi', but there is 'loot ki khuli chhoot' (open loot) in Delhi and Punjab. Corruption is breaking records, mafia is booming... What good has happened in Punjab in the past one year," Thakur asked.

He accused the AAP of not keeping its promise of giving Rs 1,000 per month to all women.

Women, who trusted them were still waiting for money to come into their accounts, said Thakur, adding, “14 months have passed (since AAP came to power in Punjab) and Rs 14,000 should have come, but not even 14 paise has come.” “'Maan' karne wala kaam koi Bhagwant Mann ne nahin kiya (Bhagwant Mann did not do any work on which he can take pride). All dishonest deeds were done by the Mann government,” he alleged.

Thakur also attacked the Congress for giving ticket for the Jalandhar bypoll to "one family".

“MLA and MP from one family and then again ticket was given to the same family. There is disappointment even among Congressmen that the Congress has remained limited to just one family. Many Congress workers were leaving the party,” he claimed.

He was referring to the ticket given by the Congress to Karamjit Kaur, wife of Congress MP Santokh Chaudhary, whose death necessitated the Jalandhar bypoll. Their son Vikramjit Chauadhary is an MLA from Phillaur.

Raising the issue of law and order, Thakur said traders, sportspersons and singers were being targeted.

Touching the issue of alleged Delhi excise policy scam, Thakur said a Delhi minister is in jail in the case.

"The day is not far when the kingpin of the liquor scam will also go," he said, without naming anyone.

When asked that the Congress has promised to ban Bajrang Dal in its Karnataka election manifesto, Thakur accused the grand old party of indulging in appeasement politics.

“For vote bank, they used to once say that Lord Ram is imaginary. They do not believe in Ram Setu… On the other hand, in Narendra Modi government, Kartarpur Corridor was opened, ropeway reached Hemkunt Sahib...and now a grand Lord Ram temple is being built in Ayodhya. No power in the world has been able to stop Bajrangbali or his followers," he said.