In a humble tribute to security personnel who laid their lives during Pathankot terror attack, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh and governments job each for next of kin of Honorary Captain Fateh Singh and Havildar Kulwant Singh, who attained martyrdom while protecting the unity and integrity of nation. Interacting with the media persons here during his Sangat Darshan program in Qadian assembly segment, the Chief Minister said that it was a modest effort being made by the state government to pay tribute to these brave hearts who made supreme sacrifice while foiling an attack on national security. He reiterated that the state government would leave no stone unturned to bail these families from crisis in this hour of grief.
Badal categorically said that these son of the soils were ‘national martyrs’ and the state government was duty bound to help their bereaved families. The Chief Minister further said that the state government was ready to help any family of the security personnel who lost their lives during the attack, irrespective of the fact that whether they hail from Punjab or not. Mr. Badal said that he had asked the officers of the state government to contact such families for extending a helping hand in this hour of crisis. “It is an onerous duty on our part to bail out these distressed families in this difficult time as they have sacrificed their lives to safeguard the nation's integrity and sovereignty.” he added. Replying to another query, the Chief Minister urged the Government of India (GoI) to plug all the loopholes at the border to prevent any sort of intrusion of terrorists in the country. He said that it was the high time that security must be beefed up along with international border to check cross border terrorism. “We will again take up this issue with the Union government to ensure that terror attacks like Dinanagar and Pathankot should not recur,” added Mr. Badal.
Earlier, addressing the public gatherings at village Sanghar and Kang, the Chief Minister said that state government has taken several historic initiatives for the well being of people. He said that Punjab was the only state which has initiated pro - poor schemes like Atta - Dal and Shagun. Likewise, Mr Badal said that the state government was providing free power to farmers of the state at a cost of Rs 5000 crore every year.Apprising the people about ‘Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme’ for providing free pilgrimage to sacred cities of Sri Nanded Sahib, Varanasi, Katra (Mata Vaishno Devi) and Ajmer Sharif, the Chief Minister exhorted them to take full benefit of this scheme. He said that under this scheme the state government would organize free trains to these cities for the people from Punjab and also provide other logistic facilities to pilgrims. Mr. Badal said that Punjab was the only state in the country to take this first of its kind initiative to facilitate the people for undertaking pilgrimage to these holy places.
Taking the Congress party to the cudgels, the Chief Minister reminded the people that this party has done lot of injustice with the state by depriving of its capital, legitimate share in river waters and Punjabi speaking areas. He said that the Congress party had inflicted a deep wound on Sikh psyche by attacking the Golden Temple and by killing thousands of innocent Sikhs during 1984 Sikh carnage. Mr. Badal said that Congress had ruined the economy of state by meting out step motherly treatment to Punjab.Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included former Cabinet Minister and Chairman Punjab State Technical Education and Industrial Training Board Jathedar Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Youth Akali leader Mr. Jagroop Singh Sekhwan, his Special Principal Secretary Dr. S Karunaraju and Deputy Commissioner Dr. Abhinav Trikha.