Chandigarh, December 21 – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said the Congress party was reneging on its pre-election promise not to shut down the Bathinda thermal plant, even as it demanded the plant be modernised to ensure it remained an asset to the State. 
In a statement here, former minister Bikram Singh Majithia said the Congress party had promised in the run up to the assembly elections that it would not close down the Bathinda plant and instead would ensure that it becomes fully functional. “Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal was party to giving this solemn promise. Even few days back former Congress legislator from Bathinda Harminder Singh Jassi gave a commitment to the people that the plant would not be shut down. He has even questioned the government’s double speak on this issue by reminding it of its assurance. It is condemnable that the party has gone back on this solemn word”, he said adding this was symptomatic of the current Congress government. “It has gone back on each and every promise be loan waiver for farmers or rolling back power tariff to Rs five per unit for both industrial and domestic consumers”, he added.