Quipping on Delhi Chief Minister’s failure to implement his poll promise of holding ‘Janta Durbar’ for redressing the grievances of people, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that Mr. Arvind Kejriwal should learn the basics of this program from him as he had been holding the ‘Sangat Darshan’ ever since the inception of his political career.Addressing the gathering during Sangat Darshan program of Lambi assembly segment here today, the Chief Minister said that Mr. Kerjriwal has failed because this interactive program for redressing the public complaints could be successfully held by only those public representatives, who were well aware of the problems of the masses. He said that there was a huge difference between Sangat Darshan and Janta Darbar as in the former the public representatives go to the people whereas in the latter the people go to the rulers. Taking a strong exception to the nomenclature of Janta Durbar, Mr. Badal said that the Durbars were held by the Kings whereas in Democracy Sangat Darshans were conducted by the representatives of people for the prompt solution of public grievances.
Describing Mr. Kejriwal as the creation of media, the Chief Minister said that it was ironical that the media was giving huge coverage to the meager subsidies announced by the Delhi Chief Minister whereas they were not throwing any light on the Rs 6000 crore subsidy annually given by the Punjab government to bail out the farmers of the state. He bemoaned that for the reasons best known to them, the media was shying away from highlighting the pro-poor welfare schemes of the state government like the Atta-Dal, Dr. Hargobind Khurana, Mai Bhago Istri Vidya and others. Mr. Badal said that it was on record that every program of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was more or less an emulation of the policies and programs started by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) decades back but unfortunately they have not been given the credit for taking these pro-people initiatives.Lashing out at the Congress led UPA government; the Chief Minister said that this government would go down in the annals of the Indian polity as the most corrupt and inefficient government. Holding the UPA government guilty of ruining the farmers of the state, he said that due to the exorbitant hike in agriculture inputs coupled with the non remunerative MSP, the peasantry of the state was on the verge of economic disaster. Mr. Badal said that on one hand SAD-BJP government has started a number of welfare schemes for the well being of weaker and disadvantaged sections of the society and on the other the Congress has always misled them by showing ‘green pastures’.
Making a scathing attack on the Congress leaders for projecting their Vice President Mr. Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the party, the Chief Minister said that a mad race was going on between the entire Congress leadership to score brownie points before the Nehru-Gandhi scion. He said that there was a huge leadership crisis in the Congress party due to which they were ready to accept anybody as their leader. “Can the Congress leaders tell me what was the ability of Rahul Gandhi except the fact that he was a member of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty” questioned Mr. Badal.Exhorting the people to exercise their franchise in the coming General elections with utmost care, the Chief Minister said that this was the most decisive elections for the people as it was the opportunity for them to either make or mar the future of the state. He said that if Mr. Narendra Modi becomes the Prime Minister of the country then a new era of unprecedented development would be heralded in the state whereas the Congress led government at centre would further unleash an era of step motherly treatment with the state. Every vote to SAD-BJP alliance would be a mandate for the progress of the state and prosperity of its people, added Mr. Badal.
Later on interacting with the media persons at village Roranwali, the Chief Minister said that it was unfortunate that the British Army helped the Indian Government led by the Congress party under the Prime Minister ship of Mrs. Indira Gandhi launched a major military offensive against the innocent people in terms of ‘Operation Blue Star’ in 1984. He assailed the Congress for this barbaric attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib which not only hurt the sentiments of Sikhs but also exposed the Congress stooping too low to shatter the ethos of humanity. The Chief Minister said that the startling revelation regarding this has once again exposed the anti-Sikh stance of the Congress party adding that this action has inflicted a deep wound on the Sikh psyche, which has left its imprint forever. This act was highly condemnable and the Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular could never forgive the Congress for this act, added Mr. Badal.Earlier at village Ghumiara, the Chief Minister also felicitated a bright student Beant Kaur by a cash prize of Rs 5000. The girl has also recently received Rs 30000 under Dr. Hargobind Khurana scholarship scheme started by the state government.At village Roranwali a number of Congress workers joined the SAD. Welcoming them to party fold, the Chief Minister said that this would further strengthen the party. The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema, Chairman Punjab Agro Jathedar Dyaal Singh Kolianwali, Akali leaders Mr. Tajinder Singh Middu Khera and Mr. Satinder Jeet Singh Manta.