Congress seeks Punjab CM's resignation, President rule in Punjab

Faridkot: Senior Congress leader Amarinder Singh on Saturday asked Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal to resign, while seeking imposition of President's rule, in the wake of "complete collapse" of law and order besides social and economic unrest in the state.

"The way things are going on right now, we will be heading for anarchy," he told reporters after visiting the families of those killed in police firing here recently.

Hitting out at the 87-year-old five time Chief Minister, for a flare up in the state due to the alleged desecration of the Sikh holy book as well as the agrarian crisis, Amarinder said, "Badal has completely lost control of the situation."

"Earlier I had been asking for financial emergency, but now the situation has gone out of control with widespread social unrest that is threatening to assume dangerous propositions," he said.

The angry youth roaming on the roads with naked swords is certainly a cause of concern and Badal was responsible for it, he said.

When asked whether there should be immediate elections in Punjab, otherwise slated for early 2017, the former Chief Minister said, "First of all, Mr Badal must resign and there should be President's rule".

"The greatest favour that Mr Badal can do for Punjab will be to quit and let elections be held under President's rule," he observed.

While responding to reporters' questions over Badal's visit to Darbar Sahib (Golden temple) today to pray for peace, the Amritsar MP said, "It is ironical that the man responsible for the unrest is praying for peace now. Badal is trying to shed crocodile tears."