Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Saturday targeted the Bhagwant Mann-led government over the power situation in Punjab, alleging that its mismanagement and financial handling of the state power corporation had contributed to the present electricity crisis.
Jakhar alleged that the government had financially weakened the power corporation to serve its political interests, and claimed that this had left Punjab facing the threat of blackouts.
In a social media message issued on Saturday, Jakhar said that after the so-called “advertised” revolutions in education and healthcare, the truth behind what he described as the Aam Aadmi Party government’s “false electricity revolution” had also been exposed.
“Not only are industries facing prolonged power cuts, but domestic consumers are also experiencing long outages. This is evidence of the government’s poor management and the financial damage inflicted on the power corporation to serve its political interests,” Jakhar alleged.
He said the electricity shortage was affecting the state’s economy and claimed that farmers were not receiving adequate power supply even at night, let alone during the day, at a time when irrigation requirements had increased because of the weak monsoon.
Jakhar also warned that the coming period could be even more difficult for Punjab’s power sector. He further alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, instead of focusing on the problems facing the state, was preoccupied with saving his position.
Jakhar said a government could not be run through “jokes” and blamed the present situation on what he described as the government’s failure to focus on its administrative responsibilities.
He further alleged that the government had attempted to reshape the financial structure of the power corporation to suit its political requirements, which, according to him, had contributed to the current situation.
Jakhar said the time had come for the people of Punjab to hold the government accountable.
