Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that national Congress Vice President Mr. Rahul Gandhi was carrying forward his family's notorious legacy of anti-Punjabism and anti-Sikhism. Interacting with the media persons on sidelines of his Sangat Darshan program in Malout assembly segment here today, the Chief Minister said that right from late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi to Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the entire Gandhi family has treated Punjabis in general and Sikhs in particular as their bitter enemies. Reminding the people about hostile attitude of Gandhi family and Congress towards the state and its people, he said the successive Congress governments at centre have tormented the psyche of Sikhs by irrelevantly meddling in their social, economic, political and even religious affairs.
Mr. Badal said that no Punjabi could ever forgive Congress for attack on Sri Darbar Sahib and for inhuman butchering of thousands of innocent Sikhs in 1984. The Chief Minister said that young Gandhi scion was following footsteps of his ancestors by defaming the hard working Punjabis as drug addicts. He said that it was a hard fact that Mr. Rahul Gandhi has inherited the traits of anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh stance from his family, which has a notorious past of depriving the state of its capital, legitimate share in river waters and Punjabis speaking areas. “The state has suffered a lot from indifferent attitude of Gandhi family and Mr. Rahul is just propagating that tradition by labeling Punjabis as drug addicts” added Mr. Badal.Coming down heavily on Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister said that the national Congress President or his party has no ‘magic wand’ to eliminate the menace of drugs adding that the state government was no leaving no stone unturned to make Punjab a totally drug free state.
He said that not even an ounce of drug was produced in state but the state was being defamed just because it was fighting the nation’s war against this evil. Mr. Badal said that there were several other parts of the country that were facing severe drug problem but unfortunately forces inimical to state were hell bent upon defaming it.Earlier addressing the gatherings in village Lakhewali, Ramgarh Choonga and Bhaagsar, the Chief Minister reiterated that both Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were hobnobbing with each other to snatch legitimate share of Punjab's water. He said that while Congress had in past signed various water agreements to deprive state of its legitimate share in river water; the AAP was now trying its level best to ensure that these agreements were implemented at the earliest. Mr. Badal said that it was a known fact that both these parties were hell bent upon turning the state into desert by depriving it of water.
Apprising the people about the affidavit submitted by AAP government in Delhi on SYL issue, the Chief Minister said that Delhi government has said that the stand of Punjab government on this issue would disintegrate the country. Likewise, he said that Delhi government has also claimed that this step was unconstitutional and anti-national adding that even Mr. Arvind Kejriwal led government has threatened Punjabis of dire consequences due to its firm stand of not allowing the construction of Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.Taking the Congress party to cudgels, the Chief Minister said that this party was the main perpetrator of the conspiracy to deprive the Punjabis of river water. He said that it was ironical state Congress Chief Capt. Amarinder Singh who was now shedding crocodile tears on this issue had welcomed the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi to lay foundation stone of SYL.
Seeking fulsome support and cooperation from the people of state, the Chief Minister said that the Shiromani Akali Dal would never allow the anti-Punjab forces to become successful in their nefarious designs. He reiterated that SYL would never become a reality. "All of us must be ready to make any sacrifice to safeguard the legitimate share of river waters of the state" he added.The Chief Minister was accompanied by MLA Mr. Harpreet Singh Malout, Chairman Punjab Agro Jathedar Dyal Singh Kolianwali, former President of Municipal Council Sri Muktsar Sahib Mr. Mitt Singh Brar, Lok Sabha MP Mr. Sher Singh Ghubaya, President of SOI Malwa Zone Mr. Robin Brar, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Sumit Jaranghal.