Harpal Cheema, associates raid illegal mining sites in Patiala district, accuses Captain of patronising mining mafia in state

Patiala : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would take up the issue of mining ‘mafia’ rule in Punjab in the forthcoming assembly session and will expose Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who was the kingpin of all the ‘mafias’. This statement was made by senior leader of the party and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Harpal Singh Cheema, while addressing the media during his visit to illegal mining sites in the villages of Ghanaur constituency in Patiala district on Thursday. Also, state treasurer Neena Mittal, Gurpreet Sandhu, Vicky Ghanaur were present on the occasion.Slamming Captain Amarinder Singh, Cheema said that liquor mafia, mining mafia and other types of mafia were running under the patronage of Captain, in his wife Preneet Kaur’s constituency in Patiala. “Captain, his ministers and MLAs are responsible for all kinds of ‘mafias’ flourishing in Punjab in which he also has his shares,” added Cheema. He said that the administration was blindfolded on the instructions of the Captain-led government in the district and illegal mining was rampant in villages with 30-30 feet deep pits.
In the presence of the media, the villagers said that when they oppose the mining mafia, the police register false cases against them and lock them up in the police station. Introducing two children, whose father was booked and lodged in jail for raising voice against the mining mafia, Cheema said that the AAP would oppose any kind of pressure on the people. He said that AAP would take up the issue of ‘mafia’ rule in Punjab including Patiala district in the forthcoming assembly session.Cheema further said that it was astonishing that despite several reports in the media, Captain was unable to see everything. He said that the matter pertaining to false FIRs being registered against those who raised their voice against mining mafia, would be taken up with the DGP. “Captain Sahib is now pushing the mining mafia model started by Sukhbir Singh Badal. Earlier, the Badal family used to take big money from the mafias and now Captain Sahib is filling his pockets,” he added. On the occasion, Pappu, Amar Saini, Harjeet Sehra, Islam Ali, Dinesh Mehta, Mandeep Sarao, Ratnesh Jindal, among others were present.