If elected to power in Punjab, security of traders will be our responsibility: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will take responsibility for the security of traders in Punjab if elected to power and put an end to corrupt practices of bribery, 'hafta' and 'inspector raj'.

He was in Bhatinda to interact with traders of the region ahead of the Punjab assembly polls, which are scheduled for next year.

"If we form a government next year, it will be our responsibility to provide security to each and every trader in Punjab. We will end the atmosphere of fear and pave way for brotherhood and peace and improvements in law and order system. We will end corrupt practices like hafta, bribery and inspector raj in Punjab. How can a trader do his work in an atmosphere like this?. We will also make sure that no one calls traders 'bicholiyas' (middlemen). Small traders are back bone of the economy," said Kejriwal.

Hitting out at the state government over COVID-19 management, he said, "The way we support people in Delhi, including traders is being discussed all over the country. But here in Punjab, the government was not worried about medicines, traders, hospitals, but they were rather fighting against each other for the post of Chief Minister."

Further slamming Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, he added, "CMs talk about getting big investments at their events. Can't the existing investments, industries and traders of Punjab be saved, who are moving out of Punjab?"

Putting forward his government's achievements in ending corruption in Delhi, he said, "In Delhi, when I had my government for 49 days, I had managed to end inspector raj and bribery. Officials were afraid. No one would dare to harass the traders. I had asked traders to pull out their phones and capture the corrupt officials and send them to my personal Whatsapp number. It had caused a lot of chaos in Delhi among the ones who were corrupt. When we came back to power, centre snatched our Anti-Corruption unit. But we will implement everything we tried to give Delhi in Punjab for the traders since it is a full state."

He emphasised the need for farmers to work together with industrialists for the development of the state, terming them as 'two wheels' of Punjab's development.

He also assured the traders that he will solve the issue of power cuts in the state.

"In Delhi, there used to be 7-8 hours-long power cuts before we were in government. Transformers and wires were badly damaged and would malfunction anytime, anywhere. But I and the Power Minister Satyendra Jain fixed this system and now Delhi gets an uninterrupted power supply. We will also bring uninterrupted power here. Also, the VAT refunds of people which are pending with the government will be returned to them when we come to power," he said.

Punjab is slated to go through assembly polls in 2022.

( With inputs from ANI )

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