NDA must do justice by extending economic package to Punjab: Parkash Singh Badal

BEGOWAL: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that the NDA government must do justice by extending the financial assistance to the state as it was "rightfully" demanding economic package from the Centre.

"It is not any concession but the NDA must do justice with the state by extending financial assistance to it," the CM said.

Badal said that Punjab, which was a once a prosperous state in the country, had suffered a lot due to the "discriminatory attitude of the successive Congress governments at the Centre".

Punjab fought the nation's war against militancy and also had to bear the expenditure of the central security forces, he said, adding that state's economy received a "fatal blow" when the neighbouring hill states were granted incentives by the previous UPA government leading "to mass exodus of industry from the state."

"All these factors led to economic constraint in the state due to which the development of the state suffered a lot," he said.

He categorically said that it was the right of the state to get financial assistance from the Centre in recognition of its glorious history of serving the country.

"We do not seek any concession from the NDA government but we hope that it will deliver justice to us by providing economic assistance," Badal said.

The opposition party Congress had accused the Narendra Modi-led government of discriminating against Punjab for not announcing any special package for the state.

"The definition of discrimination against Punjab state has acquired a new meaning under the government at the Centre with Narendra Modi as Prime Minister on whom the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is never tired of showering praises, one won't know for what purpose," Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa had said.