Phagwara, July 24- Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Mr.Partap Singh Bajwa today opposed the SAD-BJP government decision to increase the retirement age of government employees to 60 years and described it a great betrayal with 65 lakh unemployed educated youth who are waiting for new job avenues.
While addressing a meeting of party workers here Mr. Bajwa said that SAD-BJP was running away from its responsibility and promise of providing suitable jobs to the educated youth else pay the unemployment allowance of Rs.1000 per month. The government decision also belies the tall claims being made by Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal and his son Mr.Sukhbir Singh Badal that there was no fund crunch in the government. PPCC President said that the cabinet had extended the retirement age to postpone payment of retirement benefits to the retiring employees.
“The decision is neither in the interest of serving employees nor the unemployed youth. The decision would block promotions of thousands of regular employees and job prospectus of about 70,000 employees working on contract basis beside the educated youth”, he added and added that all categories of employees are on war path to get their rights.
Mr.Bajwa said that not only youth, the scheduled castes, backward classes, women, senior citizens, employees, poor, down trodden and other sections of society felt cheated by SAD-BJP alliance which won the last assembly elections by making tall promises with them. He counted the false promises made by the ruling alliance and questioned the Chief Minister on his promise of increasing money under shagun scheme from Rs.15,000 to Rs.31000. He said that 78866 applications of shagun scheme were pending for the last about three years. The promise of setting up Backward classes’ commission also remained on paper.
He said that the dalit and poor people falling under Below Poverty Line (BPL) were cheated in the name of Atta-Dal Scheme which is now defunct. He blamed SAD-BJP government for not implementing Food Security Act in Punjab due to political considerations. He said that Food security Act would benefit every poor irrespective of his social and community status. He said that the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had soft corner for Punjab and he was giving liberal funds under various schemes. He however rued that ministers in Badal government were misappropriating the central funds.
Mr.Bajwa said that the reputation of Punjab Technical University (PTU) was ruined due to political interests of Mr.Badal who has no guts to question the Vice Chancellor Dr.Rajnish Arora a RSS nominee for his misdeeds. Mr.Bajwa said that due to incompetency of VC admissions to PTU were banned by Delhi High Court for fleecing students. He said that future of 50,000 students of distance learning programme, mostly from weaker sections and rural areas was at stake. It has rendered jobless about 20,000 professionals working in Distance Learning centers of PTU. He said that university would loose Rs.200 crores due to ban on admissions by the court.
He said that Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the Board of Director to reconsider the extension given to Dr.Rajnish Arora. He said that VC had allotted tender for supply of answer sheets to a firm owned by RSS leader of Jalandhar despite objections made by the purchase committee. Earlier he out of the way allotted tenders worth Rs.25 crores to favorites in BJP and RSS.
PPCC President said that SAD-BJP government was in systematic way damaging education and primary health system to pursue vested political and business interests. Badals are working on hidden agenda privatization of education and health sectors to make room for investment of their ill gotten money. He said that poor people were crying for good education for their children and basic medical facilities for their families. “The situation is alarming”, he maintained.
Others who addressed the meeting included Mrs. Santosh Chaudhary Union Minister of state for health, Mr.Tarlochan Singh Soond Vice President PPCC, Mr.Sukhpal Singh Khaira spokesman PPCC, Mr.Navtej Singh Cheema MLA, Mr.Joginder Singh Mann former minister, Mr.Jagbir Singh Brar, Mr.Rajanbir Singh, Mr.Arun Walia, Mr.Jasbir Singh Dimpa, Mr.Anil Dutta, Mr.Inderjit Singh Zira, Prof Gurwinder Singh Mamanke and Mr.Gurvinder Singh Atwal.