Punjab Newspaper

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today called for immediate ouster of Congress led UPA government at Centre in order to pave a way for installation of the BJP led National Democratic Alliance government for seeking justice and equity for the long pending demands and ensuring socio-economic development in the state. Addressing a political conference on the auspicious occasion of Maghi, Mr. Badal paid rich tributes to the 40 Muktas (liberated ones), who sacrificed their lives for the cause of righteousness and asked the people to follow the rich legacy of Sikhism by raising a voice against the oppression and tyrannical forces. He said this pious festival of Maghi always reminds us of our glorious heritage to follow the gospels of tolerance, love and self esteem as preached by our great Gurus.


The Chief Minister categorically said that the NDA government would usher in an era of overall development and progress on every front be it agriculture, industry, education, employment generation, health care and inter-state issues etc., which had been blatantly ignored by the Congress for its discriminatory and apathetic attitude towards Punjab. He said that the policies of the Union government were inimical to the interests of Punjab and Centre deliberately devised stringent parameters for the eligibility of the centrally sponsored schemes and grants. He cited an example how Punjab was excluded from the schemes like construction of link roads and rural electrification. The Chief Minister further lamented the callous attitude of Government of India for not even acknowledging Punjab’s record contribution in the National Food Pool.
Mr.Badal said that now it was the high time to alert Centre to shun its indifferent attitude towards Punjab’s farming community and industry which had been badly hit due to its step motherly treatment. . He however said that the Centre could not befool the people anymore because they were wise enough to comprehend the ground realities. ‘Had Congress serious to the core towards the farming community of Punjab it had not been pushed deep into the vicious circle of debt trap’, said Mr.Badal. He said that agriculture was no more a profitable occupation due to the negligible returns on it due to non- remunerative and stagnant minimum support price for which Centre had always adopted an approach of ‘negativism’. Our Government had been demanding the linking of MSP with consumer price index since long but Centre always turned down our plea without any rhyme or reason. He said that our farmers had already exhausted even all the natural resources at their disposal in terms of ground water and soil texture in order to contribute enormously towards the national food pool but what they got in return except penury, humiliation and depression which forced him into end his life by committing suicides.
Accusing the Congress for 1984 riots, Mr. Badal said that none on this earth could forget this in human incident, which exposed the much-hyped ’secular image’ of the party besides leaving a blot permanently. He also held Congress responsible for the meddling in the religious affairs of Sikhs and even criticized its role in the attack on Sri Harimandir Sahib. He said, “None could suppress the indomitable spirit of the Sikhs as this community had been blessed with unique quality of valour and courage by our great Gurus and is a part of our precious legacy”.
Lashing at the previous Congress government, Mr. Badal said that the Congress through its autocratic style of functioning was far away from the hearts of the people because it never bothered for the welfare of the people at the grass root levels whereas SAD-BJP government was sensitized to their basic problems and could feel their pulse. Mr.Badal slammed the Congress for instigating people for disturbing peace in the state and its indulgence in divisive politics. He said said that now the people were well aware of Congress’s policy of ‘divide and rule’ which it has adopted not only in Centre but in the states also to pursue its political agenda. Mr. Badal bemoaned that after 61 years of freedom, Congress government during its successive terms in Centre for nearly 45 years and even in Punjab had not been able to provide the basic civic amenities to the common man. He said that poor and lower strata of the society had been completely ignored by the Congress because it was least concerned about their welfare. He said that our government was committed for the overall development of the state and its people.
Unfolding the plans of his government for the all round development and welfare, Mr. Badal asserted that each and every promise made by SAD-BJP alliance during the assembly elections with the people would be fulfilled at all costs. He said that SAD-BJP Government believed in actions rather than hollow slogans and tall claims made by the former Amarinder Singh who was absolutely insensitive to the problems of the people who frittered away his entire term as Chief Minister in leisure and pleasure.
In his address Member Parliament and President Shiromani Akali Dal Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal paid homage to the 40 Muktas on this historic day and said that Sikh Panth was replete with the saga of supreme sacrifices and always remained on the forefront in safeguarding the rights of the people before and after the independence. He said that SAD-BJP government was a true votary of the common man and always committed for their welfare and prosperity besides safeguarding their rights. Bashing at the former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for completely ignoring the interests of the every section of the society, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that whenever SAD-BJP had come to power it had always accorded top priority to the agenda of overall development of the state and welfare of all sections of the society.
Taking Centre to the task for showing apathetic attitude towards Punjab farmers, Mr. Sukhbir Badal pointed out that it was a cruel joke with the farmers that the Central government had fixed Rs 850 per quintal as MSP for paddy, which was even much below Rs.1000/- per quintal recommended by Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP). He said: “Probably it is for the first time in the history of agriculture economy that the Centre had fixed the MSP of paddy below the recommendation of the CACP”.
Referring to the setting up of Administrative Reforms Commission under the chairmanship of Mr. Pramod Kumar to provide clean, transparent and corruption free services to a common man, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the commission had been asked to submit its report within three months which would be implemented immediately. He said that the commission would effectively address to the people-centric issues like mutation of land registration, ration cards, driving licenses and domicile certificates.
Making a strong plea for a change of guard at Centre and to ensure the acceleration of speedy development and prosperity of the state, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal underscored the need to install a government of like minded political parties at Centre by throwing out the UPA government in the forth coming Lok Sabha polls. He promised to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs.10 per liter immediately by the NDA government coming to power.
Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal outlined the major initiatives in the overall development of the state and said that to make Punjab self reliant in the power sector, the SAD-BJP Government had chalked out an ambitious programme to generate additional power of more than 8000 MWs with in next two years by setting up four new thermal plants at Rajpura, Talwandi Sabo, Gidderbaha and Goindwal Sahib, out of which construction work had already begun at Talwandi Sabo and Goindwal Sahib. Apart from this a massive programme of remodeling of century old canal system had been started by SAD-BJP government at an investment of Rs.3268 crore to enhance the intake capacity of canals by 25 to 30%, of which Rs.700 crore had been invested and 102 new distributaries had been approved to ensure better irrigation facilities to the farmers.
Speaking on the occasion, Local government and industries Minister Mr. Manoranjan Kalia said that SAD-BJP government was the savior of the rights of the people of Punjab while Congress and its leaders never bothered for the development of the state and its people. He urged the people to vote and support for the SAD-BJP candidates in the forthcoming parliamentary elections to form the NDA government at Centre so that the interests of Punjab could be safeguarded in the right earnest. He said that our government had disbursed development grants worth Rs.2000 crore in just 21 months whereas Congress distributed merely Rs.1200 crore during its entire regime of five years.
In his address SGPC President Jathedar Avtar Singh Makkar also paid the tributes to the 40 muktas and said that the SGPC would not tolerate and sort of interference in its religious affairs.
Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Cooperation Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal, Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhunder General Secretary SAD, Jathedear Tota Singh, Gurdev Singh Badal and Hari Singh (Senior Akali leaders and Ex- Ministers), Sukhdarshan Singh Marar Chairman PADB, Mr. Kamal Sharma, General Secretary State Unit BJP,and Mr. Manjit Singh Barkandi President District SAD Muktsar. Besides the senior leaders and party workers of the SAD-BJP and the members of the SGPC also attended the conference.