Jalandhar: Terming Punjab as the most ‘corrupt’ state in the country, People’s Party of Punjab leader Manpreet Badal accused the state finance minister of acting as merely the ‘munim’ (accountant) of the government. The Dispatch News Desk (DND) reported.
“Punjab is the most corrupt state in the country. The people looting the state are being actively shielded by the ministers,” said Manpreet Badal, the former state finance minister. He was speaking to reporters after the ending of the two day ‘Chintan Shivir’ of his party here today.
Terming the state economy as ‘weak’ the former minister said the finance minister alone can’t be blamed as he was helpless and doesn’t have any powers. ‘The finance minister can’t be blamed for the sorry condition of state exchequer. He maybe the only finance minister in the country who doesn’t have the Excise and Taxation division under him. He is merely acting as the ‘munim’ (accountant) of the government,’ he added.
He claimed that the state will be under more than one lakh crore debt by the year end, adding, the government needs to regulate its expenses and end the VIP culture in the state. Blasting the SAD-BJP government for its recent ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Goa, he said the employees are not getting their wages while those in power are enjoying “leisure trips”.
“Petrol and electricity are very expensive in the state, and even then excessive VAT is being levied on them,” he said. On the issue of electing the Lokayukta, he said, a person from outside the state should be given the post.
