AAP wants to sell govt lands to give stipend to women: Sukhbir

Bathinda: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said the Aam Aadmi Party govt was set to take a loan of Rs 52,000 crore this year and wanted to sell govt lands to purchase votes by giving an allowance of Rs 1,000 to women for a few months.Addressing a rally at Maur town in Bathinda, the SAD president said: "If the AAP govt was serious about doing anything for the women of the state it would have allocated Rs 60,000 for each woman starting from the day the AAP govt was formed as per its promise. However, the AAP govt wants to steal their votes by giving them this allowance for a few months."Sukhbir said despite the hollow promises of medical colleges made in the past, the AAP govt has again promised 16 new medical colleges in the budget even as no money had been allocated for it.He said similarly no money had been allocated for implementing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for govt employees or giving any incentive to the trade and industry.The Akali leader said if the SAD formed govt in 2027, the party would establish a world class skill university over 300 acres in Bathinda, which would train one lakh youth through its affiliates and would collaborate with industrial houses so that skills could be imparted to the youth as per the demand of the industry.The SAD chief also announced that the SAD would not allow water to flow into the Rajasthan canal once it comes to power. The Congress was responsible for handing over Punjab's waters to Rajasthan, he said, adding that his party was committed to correcting this historic injustice.Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal spoke about the development done in the constituency during the SAD tenure, including establishment of new schools, irrigation schemes and health and road infrastructure. Senior leader Janmeja Singh Sekhon and Bikram Singh Majithia also addressed the rally.