Capt Amarinder demands agriculture minister’s resignation over spurious pesticide supply

CHANDIGARH, September 18: Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh today demanded resignation of the Agriculture Minister Tota Singh for his involvement in the supply of spurious pesticides to cotton growers which has led to massive damage to the crop and losses to the farmers.“Removal of the director agriculture is just an eyewash and too little and too late”, Capt Amarinder said in a statement, while adding, “the director is a small fish in the big scheme of things of the government”.The former Chief Minister said, while the director agriculture may have a role in the purchase of the spurious pesticides, but the overall responsibility is that of the minister who must resign immediately. “You can’t escape the responsibility by putting the entire onus on one particular officer”, he observed.Capt Amarinder pointed out, the minister’s track record leaves hardly any doubt in anybody’s mind about his role in the pesticide scam as he has already been convicted by a court in a case of abusing his official position.The veteran Congress leader warned, 2017 was not that far when the new government will investigate the matter and ensure that all the culprits in the spurious pesticide scam including Tota Singh, are brought to book and put behind the bars.