Sidhu criticises policies of Central Govt
   Date :20-Apr-2019
Criticising the policies of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Congress party’s star campaigner Navjot Singh Sidhu alleged that public sector companies and banks have suffered a massive loss in the NDA rule in the last five years due to the wrong policies of government.
 
 
Talking to mediapersons at state party office Rajiv Bhawan on Friday, Punjab Cabinet Minister Sidhu said that losses of public sector banks including State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank (PNB) crossed a gigantic over Rs 87,000 crore in 2017-18 fiscal. BSNL, MTNL, ONGC and other public sector companies have suffered whopping losses due to the wrong policies of Central Government. The profits of few capitalists including Adani and Ambani have increased in the NDA government in the last five years while the public sector companies and banks are sinking in the country, he added.
 
 
The NDA government has increased 16 times excise duty on petrol and diesel in the last five years. When Manmohan Singh led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in power at the centre, the average international price of crude oil was 140 US dollars per barrel in 2014. At present, the international price of crude oil is 40 dollars per barrel but petrol and diesel are being sold at Rs 78 and Rs 69 respectively in the country. The prices of diesel were deregulated by the Central Government in 2014.
 
 
The NDA government didn’t reduce the prices of petrol and diesel. The Central Government waived off the loans of few industrialists. The profit of the Reliance has doubled within one year. Over 80,000 petrol pumps of Reliance have been opened, he added. Navjot Singh Sidhu campaigned for the Congress candidate Pratima Chandrakar at Jamgaon under Patan assembly segment of Durg Lok Sabha constituency.
Sikh Sangathan demands to declare Navjot Singh Sidhu as ‘Tankhaiya’
 
 
Chhattisgarh Sikh Sangathan has written to Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee to declare Navjot Singh Sidhu as ‘Tankhaiya’ (highest chastisement in Sikh religion). In its letter written to Manyog Jathedar Govind Singh Longowal, Pradhan, Shiromani Gaurudwara Prabandhak Committee, it was stated by Chhattisgarh Sikh Sangathan that during his election campaigning Navjot Singh Siddhu has been found guilty of religious misconduct which is against the Sikh ethics and customs and hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community across the country.
 
 
The letter further added that the Sikhs had been victimised by outside neighboring forces and had given highest sacrifice. Still today the Sikh community is paying for the religious bigotry by Pakistan and in Kashmir. On the contrary, during his election campaigning, Siddhu is using religion for political gains and promoting religious bigotry, which is a matter of great concern for Sikh community and it is maligning the image of Sikh Panth. Keeping all this acts in view, the Chhattisgarh Sikh Sangathan hereby appeals to Shiromani Gaurudwara Prabandhak Committee to declare him “Tankhaiya” from Akal Takht, so as to ensure no one in future can misuse religion for their political gains.
Navjot Singh Siddu, who was here for campaigning on behalf of Congress, didn’t answer when the media persons queried about the said development.