Highlights of the AAP rally in Moga as the party releases farmers’ manifesto

punjab

Updated: Sep 12, 2016 23:08 IST

As Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal rolls released farmers’ manifesto today, we bring you live updates of the rally.

Arvind Kejriwal, newly appointed Punjab convener Gurpreet Ghuggi, party’s state affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann reached the venue at around 2.50pm.

Arvind Kejriwal reaches the venue. (Parampreet Singh Narula/HT Photo)

Expelled Congress leader Jagmeet Brar honoured Kejriwal. He expressed support to AAP.

Who says what

Arvind Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal began his speech by saying, “Darbar Sahib and Anandpur Sahib will be declared holy cities within two months of coming to power.”

“ He said the party will confiscate the properties of corrupt ministers and use it for state’s development. Kejriwal named Tota Singh, Partap Singh Kairon, Bikram Singh Majithia and Sukhbir Badal and said he will jail them and seize their property.” He dared Majithia to put him behind bars within these four months or else he will arrest Majithia soon after winning the elections.

Kejriwal said, “Captain Amarinder is an advocate of Bikram Majithia.”

He said, “We will take buses from Badals and hand them over to the unemployed youth. All false drug cases will be withdrawn and drug smugglers will be arrested.”

He said mohalla and village clinics will be opened for free treatment and medicines.

He said the party will not tolerate corruption, even by their own leaders. “Even ministers will be put behind bars. Never since 1947 have ministers been sacked over corruption. But AAP has done that already.” He said,”Why SAD didn’t suspend Majithia and Congress didn’t suspend Sajjan Singh? It is because they don’t have guts.”

He said all the ministers in Congress and SAD are thieves and goons and Sukhbir had prepared 63 fake CDs to malign the image of AAP.

Read | AAP releases farmers’ manifesto: Here is what the party promises

Sukhpal Khaira

AAP spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira says Kejriwal is messiah of change for entire the India. He said, “Our farmers, who once fed the whole nation, is now committing suicides. Congress and SAD have jointly spoiled Punjab. They have ganged up to oppose us.”

“Our water level has gone down. AAP may have compulsions but will not let Punjab lose its rights,” says Khaira. Khaira also called for boycott of PTC news channel “of the Badals”.

Jarnail Singh

Party leader Jarnail Singh said Badals have destroyed Punjab. He said our youth has become addicted to drugs, thanks to Akalis. He said in the past few years, the number of liquor shops in the state have increased manifold.

Gurpreet Ghuggi

Gurpreet Ghuggi said autopsy report of suicide victim farmers was tampered to conceal truth. He said, “it’s a shame that Badal says farming no longer remunerative.”

AAP Punjab convener Gurpreet Ghuggi (Photo: Twitter)

He said “Volunteers who have left AAP were planted by Congress and Akalis.” He said, “Some joined AAP thinking we’ll beg them to fight polls, now they are angry over not getting ticket. When a tree is growing, some unwanted leaves fall on their own and others have to be pruned.”

He further said Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh knows nothing about farming.

Bhagwant Mann

Bhagwant Mann took dig at PTC news channel, saying “Badal-owned channel presents false picture of Punjab.” He said farmers are now ashamed of being called farmers as they are living in pitiful condition. He said Badals were portraying a fake picture of Punjab farmers. “Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches,“ he said.

Sidelights

AAP Canada leader donated van with Wi-Fi, speakers and cameras donated to AAP.

In the beginning of the event, the party members alleged that the Badal government was trying to disrupt the rally by breaking the sound system.

Even though a ban had been imposed on school buses being used to ferry AAP supporters to the rally, majority of crowd was seen being carried in the buses.

Read | Ban not affected, school buses being used for ferrying crowd to AAP rally

School buses bearing the rally posters were seen in Moga. (Ravi Kumar/HT Photo)

Some AAP supporters reached Bagha Purana for the rally on foot.

AAP leaders on the way to the rally venue. (Ravi Kumar/HT Photo)

Meanwhile, Congress supporters showed black flags in Moga.

Congress supporters showing black flags to Kejriwal in Moga. (Ravi Kumar/HT Photo)

Another set of around 50 Congress workers protested against Arvind Kejriwal on Ludhiana-Moga highway.

Congress workers protesting on Ludhiana-Moga highway. (Ravi Kumar/HT Photo)

A third set of protesters protested at Ludhiana-Moga highway on Sunday.

A third set of protesters against AAP in Moga. (Ravi Kumar/HT Photo)

Also, parallel to the AAP rally, Baghapurana Congress leadership led by former MLA Darshan Brar and his son Kamaljit Singh Brar organised a massive bike rally to show its strength in the constituency.

Read | Twitter battle erupts between AAP, SAD ahead of Moga rally

While Jarnail Singh was giving speech, a group of a dozen Akali supporters protested around 30 feet from the stage but were taken out. Jarnail from the stage called them minions.