Cong, AAP anti-Punjab: Badal

Khanna (Punjab), Aug 19 (PTI) Terming both Congress andAam Aadmi Party (AAP) as "anti-Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat",Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today appealed to thepeople for a "complete wipeout" of both the parties in theupcoming assembly polls in the "larger interest" of the state. Addressing people during his Sangat Darshan programmehere, he said Congress party has harmed the state"religiously, economically and socially" and AAP is treadingon the same path followed by Congress, so both these partiesneed to be "decimated" for the betterment of the state. Badal said it was Congress which perpetrated "plannedattack" on Sri Harimandir Sahib as well as the 1984 Sikhgenocide, which tormented the Sikh psyche. He said the Congress did not "stop here" and gave Punjab’sshare of river waters’ to Rajasthan, started the constructionof Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and ruined the state’seconomy by giving financial sops to industry in neighbouringstates. He said the AAP is also moving in the same direction andfiled an affidavit in the Supreme Court regarding river watersof Punjab and by comparing their election manifesto with holyscriptures it is moving on the footsteps of Congress party. Badal said "such tactics of both these parties havehurt Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat so all of us should remainvigilant from them". He said Chandigarh and Punjabi speaking areas were notgiven to Punjab and led to social imbalance in the state. On announcement of candidates for Vidhan Sabha elections,the Chief Minister said it would be done at an appropriatetime. He said the government has constructed gaushalas indifferent parts of the state for proper upkeep of stray cattleas it was is "serious over it". PTI VJ AQS ZMNCHT