Punjab Congress demands debate on public issues

Chandigarh: The state government should ensure open debate over "public oriented" issues during the special session of the Assembly convened on May 3, Punjab Congress demanded on Wednesday.

Lashing out at the government, Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar said, in the garb of their protest against wealth tax of agriculture land, the SAD-BJP coalition is trying to divert the ire of common man about property tax on urban residents, deteriorating law and order situation, political patronisation of sand, land and liqour mafia, harassment to farmers while selling their crops and embezzlement of funds meant for Centre-funded public welfare schemes. When Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has already announced withdrawal of the wealth tax, the SAD-BJP government should allow open debate on other issues of public interest in the session, he said. Sensing their defeat in the coming Lok Sabha elections, the NDA is busy trying to find baseless issues, but the UPA government is committed to safeguard the interest of poor and needy, Jakhar stressed. A meeting of the Congress legislature party has been convened on May 2 to discuss the party`s strategy to take on the SAD-BJP combine during the special session. PTI