Raise Indian Flag On May 1 To Protest Centre's Bias, Says Punjab Congress

The Congress on Tuesday asked people in Punjab to raise the Tricolour from their homes on May 1 to protest against the Centre's "discrimination" in extending support to non-BJP ruled states amid the coronavirus outbreak. The Congress had sought an immediate relief of Rs 20,000 crore from the Centre for the state to combat the crisis.

The idea was mooted by Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, and seconded by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, at a video conference with party MLAs on Tuesday, said a release. The CM said the state was losing Rs 3,360 crore in revenue every month due to the the pandemic and the curfew clamped to tackle the disease would lead to a loss of almost Rs 50,000 crore in a year.

The state has received no help so far from the Centre to tackle the crisis, claimed the CM. The event, coinciding with the Labour Day, will underscore the rights of Punjab in the central aid in this unprecedented crisis, said Jakhar.

"Punjab is an integral part of India and the Union government cannot discriminate against us," he said.

Jakhar said the event will also be a show of solidarity with farmers, workers and all "Corona warriors" who are at the forefront of the crisis. Jakhar said Punjab was not begging for anything but merely asking for its rightful share. Meanwhile, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal lashed out at the Opposition SAD, accusing it of "playing politics" over the COVID-19 crisis just to remain in "limelight". Badal reiterated that the Centre should give the goods and services tax arrears of Rs 4,400 crore.

"The SAD is playing petty politics just to remain in limelight," Badal claimed on Tuesday.

The Shiromani Akali Dal had claimed that the Union government had given funds to the state but the Congress government was not spending these to give relief to people.