Chandigarh, March 20 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said on Thursday that the ruling party in Punjab has always supported farmers and will continue to do so and asked them to hold protests "where they affect the Central government".
However, due to interstate border closures, an environment has developed where even industries that were established in Punjab are now leaving.
He urged the farmers to open one side of the border, saying that the BJP-led Central government in Delhi will not suffer any losses due to this.
"Instead, it is directly harming Punjab, causing the state government to lose hundreds of crores in revenue, and industries are leaving Punjab, " Hayer said in a statement.
He said that unemployment had earlier pushed the youth into drug addiction.
"Over the past 20-22 years, unemployment in Punjab has significantly increased. Very few government jobs were announced, which left the youth without proper direction, pushing them toward drugs."
Hayer said that today the Punjab government "is continuously taking action against drug menace. Drug traffickers are either in jail or have fled Punjab, and efforts are being made to bring the youth trapped in drug addiction out of this quagmire".
He added that previous governments did not pay attention to industries as their party leaders demanded a share in businesses, which drove industries out of the state.
"Now, the Aam Aadmi Party government is providing employment to the youth and promoting industries, as it is the need of the hour."
He said that for providing jobs to the youth, "it is crucial for industries to be set up in Punjab and for investments to come to the state."
The AAP MP said Punjab has fallen far behind today.
Until 2003, Punjab was one of the leading contributors to the country's GDP, but today, "we have slipped to the 19th position. This clearly indicates that our economy is heading in the wrong direction, " Hayer added.
He said that Punjab's economy would only strengthen when new industries come to the state and people get employment.
Hayer added that being from a farming family himself, he has always supported the farmers.
He appealed to the farmers of Punjab, saying, "Let us hold protests where they affect the Central government. Closing the border here only harms Punjab. The Central government is not affected by this, even though the entire issue is related to them."