Punjab Congress miserably failed to perform its role of opposition: AAP

CHANDIGARH : Terming the ‘drama of dharna’ inside the assembly by Congress as mockery of democracy, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today alleged that the key opposition party has miserably failed to perform its role on the floor of house.“Instead of insisting on the key issues of Punjab on the floor of the house, that too during the last session of the current regime, Congress preferred to enact a ‘drama of dharna’ inside the assembly to catch the attention of media, which is highly deplorable”, said State Convener of AAP, Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi.Entire Punjab has witnessed, how Congress failed to engage the ruling parties into the meaningful discussion, rather Congress MLAs wasted public money by keeping themselves busy in enacting drama of dharna by staying two nights inside the assembly, Ghuggi said however the Congress leaders even failed to impress media, which also highlighted them in their the ‘poor light’, AAP Convener said.It was the duty of opposition parties to intervene, discuss and interrogate the ruling parties on its attempt to pass the 20 key bills in haste; Ghuggi said adding that the Congress’ behaviour during the session indicates its involvement in the tacit (secret) understanding with Akalis to enable them to pass their bills in a smooth away.Even the draconian Prisons (Punjab Amendment) Repeal Bill was also passed by the assembly without any discussion, Ghuggi said adding the bill was aimed to let loose the criminals right before the assembly elections under the garb of ‘parole’ to create fear among voters by Akalis.“We don’t have any objection on the release or granting parole to the genuine release of prisoners, but we apprehend that in the garb of this Akalis want to create terror among voters”, Ghuggi said while quipping that why this initiative was being done right before the elections not earlier.“While PPCC Chief Captain Amarinder Singh made ‘hue & cry” on the issue of Khalsa University in media, but in the assembly Congress MLAs did not utter even a single word to oppose the Bill allowing enactment of Khalsa Unviersity”, Ghuggi alleged.Referring the Comptroller General of Auditors (CAG) report of the grave violations of norms committed by state government while sanctioning Private Universities in the state, Ghuggi said this was a serious issue and needed serious discussion.It is pertinent to mention here that CAG underlined that seven private universities were created without following rules.It highlighted irregularities and deficiencies leading to a loss of almost Rs 145 crore by the departments of higher education, housing, technical education and health, besides the PWD and others, in the financial year 2014-15. Information for final compilation of the report was received till January 2016.About the universities, the report said that, in 2012, Adesh University was allowed to be created despite an inspection committee and a high-powered committee of the chief secretary noting that the promoters had not complied with conditions of the Punjab Private Universities Policy, 2010.Even at DAV University in Jalandhar, said the report, “availability of infrastructural facilities as provided in the policy was not ensured by the government”. As per records, its proposed building was under construction (July 2013) at the time of nod, and only quotations invited by the sponsoring body were considered evidence of purchase of books worth Rs 50 lakh, the report added.About Lovely Professional University (LPU), information received from the chief town planner in April 2015 and the LPU website said it was established on 600 acres, with 10 lakh square feet of built-up area (up to 2006) on Phagwara Road, Jalandhar. But, neither had the sponsoring body obtained permission for change of land use (CLU), nor had it deposited the external development charges, licence fee and scrutiny fee. This resulted in an undue financial favour to the promoter, said the report.Even in case of Desh Bhagat University, Guru Kashi University and Rayat Bahra University, Chitkara University, Chandigarh University, SGGS World University were named by the CAG for serious violation of norms.