Sukhbir bats for law to bar non-Punjabis from getting govt jobs in state

BATHINDA

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday favoured a legal provision to bar non-Punjabis from getting government jobs in the state.

Addressing an election rally in the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency’s Rama Mandi town, Sukhbir claimed during the Akali government in the past, only residents of Punjab were appointed for various posts, but the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has jeopardized the interests of the Punjabi youth.

“Now, the residents of Rajasthan, Haryana and other states are being recruited in Punjab government departments while the Punjabi youths are deprived of jobs. If voted to power, we will appoint only Punjabis and also introduce legislation to reserve 75% of jobs in the private sector in the state for Punjabis,” said the SAD chief.

In November last year, the Punjab and Haryana high court had struck down a similar legislation passed by the BJP-JJP government in the neighbouring Haryana.

“A government cannot discriminate against individuals simply because they do not belong to that state,” the court had reportedly stated while quashing the Haryana assembly’s decision.

Addressing the party supporters on Tuesday, Sukhbir said that the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government had failed miserably to control the law-and-order situation.

He urged the electorate to support the SAD candidates in the Lok Sabha polls to give the party momentum to form a state government in 2027.

“Today, gangsters and criminals have a free hand as the state has no control over them. We will introduce a provision to award capital punishment to curtail drug trafficking and crime syndicates. There are countries where the drug dealers are given death penalty,” he added, justifying the demand as drug abuse continues to be a key political issue in the current elections.

Legal experts said the Section 31 of the NDPS Act already has the provision of “death penalty for certain offences after previous conviction”.

In an emotive appeal to the core vote base of the party, Sukhbir said it is surprising that Punjabis voted for the Congress even after the army (action to flush out the militants) attack on the Golden Temple complex in 1984.

“Akali Dal is the party of the qoum whereas the Congress was responsible for an attack on the Akal Takht and anti-Sikh riots across the country (after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi). But after these unfortunate events in 1984, Punjabis have elected Congressmen (in Parliament) on several counts,” he added.

Sharpening attack on the AAP government, Sukhbir said fiscal health of the state has deteriorated because of Mann government whose leaders lack experience of governance.