“We are here to fight corruption, not any war – Dr. Daljit Singh

Amritsar, 15th April (Punjab Post Bureau)-  Even the hardcore journalist, on the Amritsar beat is a bit bemused these days, such is the plethora of negativism spewing out from both Captain Amarinder Singh and Arun Jaitley camps. Both keep attacking each other at the smallest pretext and their guns do not lack acidic fodder. Both parties as well as candidates have a history which is full of the darkest blots. If it is not the captain at  Majithia’s throat, then its Sukhbir Badal mocking the Ex CM for his Pakistani dalliances or Jaitely talking down in his disdainful, imperious manner. It’s almost as if they don’t seek vote, rather they demand them. The ‘S’ word predominates political discourse; spying, snide, supercilious, sniggering, spiting.

“This may work to my advantage as a contestant, but is certainly detrimental to my city,” says AAP’s candidate Dr. Daljit Singh, his face wearing his trademark genuinely warm, benign smile that calms. “We are not here to fight any wars; we are here to put forth our vision in front of the people to work for them and against corruption. I have no vendetta, no baggage. My Amritsar is like a patient in the ICU these days. Hundreds of small scale units are closing down every year, trade is at a standstill, nonexistent sanitation, pathetic schooling, bad roads, undrinkable drinking water, the list of woes is endless, yet both my esteemed friends choose to ignore all this and are busy in personality assassination. The Captain and Jaitely Sahib have both gone on record saying that they did not want to contest but have been ‘forced’ by their ‘high commands’. I wish they had spent this month in my city in a positive manner. Alas not to be! ”  Dr Singh’s day start early and ends late. All the day he walks and talks to the people in the far flung corers of his constituency. He inquires about their jobs, education, drinking water, and children. He compares notes, swaps suggestions and most of all he listens. Really does.  They know him and he knows them. As a pioneer ophthalmologist, he has worked with them for well over half a century.  Meanwhile DR Singh’s road shows in both Majitha as well as Attari were a resounding success today, with local residents coming out to pledge support for his crusade.