SAD joins protest outside Punjab FM's residence, ahead of budget presentation in Assembly

Ahead of the Punjab government presenting its budget in the State Assembly on Friday, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLAs joined the protest carried outside the residence of Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal.

A large number of people joined the protests launched by families of debt-ridden farmers who committed suicide during the Congress regime, as it failed to fulfil the promise of a complete farm loan waiver.

Police were deployed at the protest site to prevent any untoward incident. The demonstration was preventing Badal from stepping outside his residence to present the budgetary proposals for the financial year 2020-21.

This will be the fourth budget presented by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in the state. The Punjab government is expected to focus on youngsters, farmers and employees in the upcoming budget.

READ | As Akali MLAs Gherao FM's House, Punjab Assembly Adjourned For Brief Period

SAD, AAP protest outside Punjab Assembly

The Opposition AAP and SAD held a protest outside the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, February 26, over issues related to unemployment and alleged sand and transport mafias in the State. 

Members of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accused the Congress-led government of having "completely failed" in giving jobs to the unemployed youth in the last three years. 

"Unemployed youths are seeking replies from Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for not fulfilling promise of giving employment to youth," claimed SAD leader Parambans Singh Romana, adding that the government's 'Ghar Ghar Rozgar Yojana' has failed. 

READ | Punjab Govt Presents Rs 1.54 Lakh Cr Budget

Protesting Akalis, led by Bikram Singh Majithia and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, also brought some unemployed youth along with them who were showing their degrees and claiming that they had not got any jobs yet. 

The members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by the leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, took on the Congress-led government on the issue of alleged mafias in the state. They alleged that the sand, liquor and transport mafias still continued in Punjab under the Congress-led regime. 

The members of the Opposition shouted slogans against the State government.

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(With inputs from ANI)

Image: Manpreet Singh Badal / Twitter