Ousted Manpreet Singh Badal’s says it’s no more a family matter

He is out to shake the conscience of Punjab. Bracing for an awakening campaign from November 24, former Akali Dal leader and finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s resolve to turn the tide in the state appears strong. The four-time MLA from Gidderbaha constituency, which was once represented by his uncle and chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, is out to chart his own political course, independent of the Badals. He spoke to DNA.
 
How comfortable are you after breaking family and political ties with chief minister Parkash Singh Badal?
It is no more a family matter. I have a political and economic agenda to get Punjab out of the rut it has been in for so many years.

What is your political agenda?
I want to cleanse state politics. People of Punjab are looking for a new leader who can lead the state out of its present crisis. It could me or anybody else.

What political reform are you mooting?
First of all, no blood relatives should serve in the same cabinet. Second, no MLA may serve as a cabinet minister for more than two terms. I am also for a quota of 50% in the state legislature for women and youth. The VIP culture in the state also needs to be changed. Except in emergency, why should VIPs display red light atop their vehicles?

The use of beacon lights and hooters should be banned.

How do you view the state’s economy? You were finance minister for three-and-a-half years. How did you take the challenge?
We need to take emergency measures to pull the state out of its economic mess. The public debt of Punjab at Rs70,000 crore was unsustainable and it had to be reduced by cutting down on government borrowing by reducing expenditure and helping the economy grow, so that revenue from taxes grew faster. It does not mean that we have to impose new taxes, but we need to ensure compliance.

Also, I am not against subsidies to farmers and other sections of society as is being made out to be by my detractors. Subsidies do not have to be withdrawn, they need to be rationalised. For instance, free electricity should be given to small and marginal farmers, not to rich farmers.

In our scheme of things, Punjab will not bully investors, especially NRIs. We will have to win back their confidence by ensuring that their investment is safe.

There is hardly any place left on the globe where Punjabis have not established themselves, whether in the field of politics, economy or socially. But ironically, a Punjabi in Punjab has proved to be a failure.

You have been talking about Punjabi ethos and culture as well?
Liquor and drugs are playing havoc with the state’s culture. We want no liquor vend to be located in the boundaries of a village. Inflow of drugs should also be strictly dealt with. There should in fact be zero tolerance to corruption in politics and administration.
The police system needs to be significantly reorganised and depoliticised, so that it is not open to misuse.

We are right now only a group of five-six persons. We want to take our agenda to the people first.