Cong dares Jaitley to debate on issues concerning Punjab

Congress today dared senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley to a public debate to clarify his stand on certain issues facing Punjab before he seeks votes from the electorate of Amritsar.

"Amritsar is the state's most prestigious Lok Sabha seat and the religious capital of Sikhs. It's not the personal fiefdom of the Badal family which they can pass on to an outsider or a politician who has no concern for issues related to the state," Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Singh Khaira said here today.

He asked Jaitley to "clarify certain issues facing Punjab and its electorate, before he seeks their votes".

He asked Jaitley to clarify why the Gujarat government had not withdrawn its petition from the Supreme Court over eviction of Sikh farmers from Kutch region despite assurance by its Chief Minister and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

He also wanted to know Jaitley's views on the Akali Dal's demand of according special status to the Sikh community."Does Jaitley favour a uniform Civil Code as per the BJP policy or does he support separate law for Sikhs?" Khaira asked.

The Congress spokesman asked what are the BJP leader's views on the issue of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. "What are the views of Jaitley on the sensitive issue of river water dispute pertaining to the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (SYL)? Will Jaitley commit his support to Punjab and oppose water-sharing claims of Haryana and Rajasthan?" he asked.

Touching the sensitive issue about attack on the Golden Temple in 1984, Khaira asked the BJP nominee about his views on the Operation Blue Star.

Talking about the Punjabi prisoners on death row, he asked whether Jaitley would support the Akali Dal's demand of clemency to Balwant Singh Rajoana, Davinderpal Singh Bhullar and other Sikh prisoners languishing in jails.

"The Congress dares Jaitley to a public debate on these issues... He should make a public commitment to fulfil these demands if elected to Parliament," he said.