"Rs 12,000 Debt On Every Person In Punjab", Claims State BJP Chief

The BJP's Punjab president, Sunil Jakhar, on Monday voiced concern over the state's financial situation saying that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was heavily in debt.

Saying that he feared for the state's future, the former Congress leader quoted the extent of the state's debt at Rs 2,42,000 crores.

Mr Jakhar claimed that even PSUs in the state were in debt, adding that the Bhagwant Mann government was "misleading" the people.

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Mr Jakhar said, "I can only see darkness ahead. There is a debt of Rs 2,42,000 crore debt on one side, and on the other hand, the PSUs of Punjab including Punjab Power Corporation and other undertakings are also under fiscal stress with a combined debt of Rs 3,50,000 crore. The Punjab government has taken the guarantee for bailing these undertakings out of distress but the money will be paid from the public exchequer," the BJP state president said.

"There will be a Rs 12,000 debt on every person. A child born today will also have to bear the state's debt burden. The AAP government's dole of Rs 1,000 per person, every month, is a ploy to mislead the people about the state's fiscal situation. While only Rs 1,000 will go to a family every month, the Punjab government has taken a loan worth Rs 50,000 crore for this purpose," added Mr Jakhar.

Earlier, on Monday, Sunil Jakhar welcomed the Centre's decision to suspend visas for Canadians in the light of the ongoing diplomatic spat over the Khalistan issue, saying that Canada has mortgaged its foreign policy for the sake of political advantage and (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau was running a "minority government".

"Justin Trudeau is speaking his supporters' language. Canada has mortgaged its foreign policy," said Mr Jakhar.

The BJP leader said, "With the Trudeau govt continuing to support the separatist forces, the Indian government, for the time being, and upon careful consideration, has suspended visas (to Canadians) as part of a policy to uphold India's sovereignty and territorial integrity by stopping these forces from entering the country."

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