Chandigarh, Mar 13 (KNB): In a strange development, Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal drew flak from opposition parties over his remarks that barring a few officers in the state government, most do not have a good command over English and cannot even draft a letter properly.
“Except for a few officers of Punjab, most don’t know how to write in English-….On reading the memorandums that are sent to the Government of India, we hold our head in shame and wonder what are they writing and how did they clear the IAS test,” report in the Times of India quoted Badal as having said.
Commenting on Badal’s remarks, AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira said if what he said was true, then it was an unfortunate scenario and the Congress government should take action against such officers, the report said.
“If the bureaucrats are not well versed in English and cannot even write an official letter, it is a sad thing,” report quoted Khaira as having said.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said maybe Manpreet doesn’t know English himself and claimed he appeared to be fond of Urdu. BJP leaders criticised the finance minister, saying his remarks were a reflection of the sorry state of affairs in the government, the report said.
Lok Insaaf Party leader Simarjit Singh Bains said it seemed Manpreet was fond of English, the report mentioned.(KNB)