Entry tax on sugar: Parkash Singh Badal says decision taken by BJP-SAD collectively

MUKTSAR: A day after its alliance partner BJP expressed dissatisfaction over SAD not taking it into confidence before imposing an entry tax on sugar, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asserted that each and every decision to govern the state was taken collectively.

Putting the ball back into the BJP's court, the 87-year-old five-time Chief Minister said, "BJP was part and parcel of the Cabinet, which took the decision to levy entry tax on sugar in the state."

Asserting that the two alliance partners had "complete understanding" on all issues, he said, "We take decisions pertaining to the state collectively."

The Chief Minister further said that the alliance was everlasting and firm as both the alliance partners have "complete faith and confidence in each other".

"The ministers of SAD-BJP alliance collectively take decisions in the Cabinet which are then implemented in Punjab for the welfare of the people and prosperity of the state," Badal told reporters on the sidelines of the second day of his Sangat Darshan programme at Sham Kheda here.

The Punjab unit of BJP had yesterday slammed ruling alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for imposing an entry tax on sugar procured from other states, claiming that it had not been "taken into confidence" about the move.

"BJP was not taken into confidence about the state government's decision to impose an entry tax of 11 per cent on sugar," State BJP chief Kamal Sharma had said at Jalandhar yesterday, adding that the saffron party would raise the matter with the state government and demand the rollback of the order.