Terming that the ensuing state assembly polls would be a fight between pro and anti Punjab forces, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today exhorted the people to support Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for giving crushing defeat to forces inimical to the state.Addressing a political conference attended by over one lac people here to mark the sacred occasion of Rakhar Punia, the Chief Minister said that the upcoming polls would be decisive for state as it would make or mar the future of state as the fight was between SAD and the enemies of state like AAP and Congress. He said that if pro people force like SAD-BJP alliance was voted to power again then state's development would get a major fillip but God forbid if anti - Punjab forces like Congress and Aam Aadmi Party get a chance then the situation would be worst. “People have to be extra cautious as this time it’s a clear battle and they have to choose between foes and friends of state” added Mr. Badal.
Reminding the people about the notorious past of Congress, the Chief Minister the Chief Minister said that Congress has irrelevantly meddled in the social, political, economic and even religious affairs of the state. He further bemoaned that the Congress governments at the Centre had deliberately denied the state of Punjabi speaking areas, its capital Chandigarh and even its legitimate share in river waters. “How can any true Punjabi forget and forgive Operation Blue Star and the killing of innocents in 1984 anti-Sikh carnage” questioned Mr. Badal.The Chief Minister said that Congress party was the perpetrator of a deep rooted conspiracy to deprive the state of its waters by constructing the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. He said that Congress government had planned SYL to rob the waters of state, Congress Prime Minister had performed its ground breaking ceremony and the then state Congress government had approved it but on the contrary Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had opposed it tooth and nail. “Congress leaders are now ‘shedding crocodile tears on issue while forgetting that incumbent state Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh had welcomed Indira Gandhi to lay foundation of this canal in 1980s”, added Mr. Badal.
Likewise, the Chief Minister said that AAP was nothing more than a band of ‘gossip mongers’, which was good for nothing. He said that the AAP leadership was promising moon to everyone but in reality they have proved that they could not deliver anything. Mr. Badal urged the people not to get swayed away by the malicious propaganda of such people, who were anti - Punjab from core of their heart.The Chief Minister reminded the people that SAD was the mother party of every Punjabi, which was fully committed for their welfare and prosperity. He recalled the supreme sacrifices made by Shiromani Akali Dal in safeguarding the interests of the state and its people. Mr Badal said that only SAD was the true votary of rights of Punjabis. Listing the major initiatives taken by the state government, the Chief Minister said that the alliance government has supplied free power to the farmers of the state at a cost of Rs 50000 crore in last ten years to bail them out from agrarian crisis. He further said that under various pro-poor and pro-people social security schemes the alliance government has decided to double the pensions given to people. Mr. Badal said that the state government has started first of its kind scheme to provide interest free crop loans worth Rs 50000 to the farmers. He further said that in another historic decision it has been decided that all the farmers would be provided a health insurance cover of Rs.50,000 and an insurance of Rs.5 lac in case of accidental death or incapacitation of head of family.The Chief Minister said that in another major decision aimed at ensuring the well being of the government employees, the state government was mulling to regularize the services of contractual employees in various departments. He said that a decision to this effect would be taken very soon.
In his address Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that there was a massive wave in the support of SAD-BJP alliance. He said that both Congress and AAP would be swept in tsunami of alliance, which was all set to form government in the state for third consecutive term. He said that that the impressive gathering in this congregation was a proof that people were solidly behind the alliance. Coming down heavily on Delhi Chief Minister Mr Arvind Kejriwal, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the AAP supremo wants to attain power in state just to settle score with Union government. He said that if AAP was voted to power then there would be a direct clash between state and centre government, which would not suit interests of state. Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said it would be a disastrous situation for state, which has to rely on Union government for several development oriented issues and policies. “Punjab can progress only of SAD-BJP alliance is formed in state which can get maximum benefits for state from BJP led NDA Government at centre”, he added.
Making a scathing attack on state Congress Chief Captain Amarinder Singh, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar had been utterly disappointed in wake of massive response of people to alliance. He said that disheartened by this Captain has already left the field and was ready to flee from political battlefield. Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal said that Captain had done nothing for the state and it was on record that even MLAs of his party could not list even single achievement of his tenure in state assembly session.
The Deputy Chief Minister also announced that state government would soon open 2000 medical stores across the state to disburse free medicines to people. Likewise, he also announced that Skill centres would be set up in every block of the state to provide free technical education to them thereby enabling them to be gainfully self employed. In the same manner, he said that In order to provide smooth and hassle free administrative services to people at their doorsteps a network of Rural Sewa Kendras would be dedicated to the people very soon.The Deputy Chief Minister also listed the outstanding achievements of state government in making Punjab the only power surplus state in country besides initiating number of pro people schemes like Atta-Dal, pension, shagun , Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme and others. He said that due to concerted efforts of state government Punjab was today having a robust network of roads and was well connected with other parts of world through domestic and international airports.Addressing the gathering Revenue, information and Public Relations Minister Mr Bikram Singh Majithia slammed both Congress and AAP for their anti Punjab and anti - Sikh mindset. He said that while Congress has tormented the Silh psyche by attacking our religious shrines, the AAP too was following the footsteps of Congress. He said that by equating poll manifesto with Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and by pasting the picture of their election symbol broom on pic of Sri Darbar Sahib, the AAP leadership have proved that they were anti-sikh who have scant respect for Sikh religion and its ideology.
The Revenue Minister said that the SAD-BJP alliance government has taken path breaking initiatives to put state on high growth trajectory but both these parties were vying to achieve political power in the state to plunder the wealth of state. Cautioning the people to beware of AAP, he said Delhi Chief Minister Mr Arvind Kejriwal was a Conman who was habitual of duping people by showing them green pastures. He said that Kejriwal was a failed Chief Minister who had not fulfilled even a single promise made to people. Mr Majithia said that the massive response to rally by youth has proved the youngsters were solidly behind SAD-BJP alliance and they would steer the alliance to victory. He said that it was a writing on wall that with unflinching support of youth alliance would form government in the state for third consecutive term.On the occasion Lok Sabha MP Jathedar Ranjeet Singh Brahmpura, Cabinet Minister Mr. Gulzar Singh Ranike, Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Shwet Malik and others also addressed the gathering.
Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Lok Sabha MP Jathedar Ranjeet Singh Brahmpura, Cabinet Minister Mr Gulzar Singh Ranike, MLAs Bibi Jagir Kaur, Mr Manjeet Singh Mianwind, Prof. Virsa Singh Valtoha, Mr Des Raj Dhugga, Mr Baljeet Singh Jalal Usma and Mr Gurcharan Singh Babbehali, OSD to Deputy Chief Minister Mr Parminder Singh Brar, former MLAs Jathedar Sucha Singh Langah, Mr Lakhbir Singh Lodhi Nangal and Mr Sarabjeet Singh Makkar,Chairman Punjab State Tube well Corporation Mr Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon, Chairman District Planning Committee Jathedar Veer Singh Lopoke, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Dr S Karunaraju, Deputy Commissioner Mr Varun Roozam, Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr AK Mittal and Senior Superintendent of Police Mr Harkanwal Preet Singh Khakh.