Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said Punjab’s governance could not be handed over to people who were willing to compromise national security to further their personal and political ambitions.

Expressing anger over state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu hugging the Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa who, he said, was ordering his soldiers every day to kill Indians, the former CM asked the people of Patiala at a public meeting at Ramalila Maidan, “Who do you hate more? The soldiers who fire or the one who gives the order?”.

“Sidhu hugging General Bajwa and then his re-induction into the state cabinet being recommended by the Prime Minister of Pakistan clearly showed he could not be relied upon to keep Punjab and India safe from the enemy across the border,” he added. “We want peace with Pakistan but will not bow to them. We are prepared to fight, our army is ready to take them head on,” Amarinder said.

Citing the need for the highest levels of security in the border state of Punjab, the former CM said the state’s and country’s safety was of paramount importance, which only the PLC alliance, with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government at the Centre, could ensure.

While there was no conflict between the people of the two countries, the hostile regime in Pakistan posed a serious danger which could not be undermined, he said adding since March 2017, as many as 83 Punjabi soldiers had been killed by Pakistan on the border.

Announcing that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be coming to Punjab soon to campaign for the PLC-BJP-SAD (Sanyukt) coalition, Amarinder said the alliance had been crafted in the interest of Punjab and the country.

The state, with its economy in total shambles, was at a crossroads and needed the Centre’s support to go ahead, he stressed, adding that Punjab was reeling under a debt of Rs 70000 crores, with Charanjit Singh Channi adding Rs 33000 Crore in just 111 days.

For Punjab’s survival, it is necessary that the state and the Centre work together, said Amarinder, adding that he personally has had cordial relations with Modi since the latter was the Chief Minister of Gujarat and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in-charge for Punjab.