Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were like 'empty vessels' which produce loud sound but were good for nothing. Addressing the public gathering during Sangat Darshan program in Lambi assembly segment here today, the Chief Minister said leadership of both these parties was just raising ‘hollow slogans and false promises’ with a single aim of assuming political power in the state. He said that both these parties were trying to mislead the people of state by unleashing malicious propaganda. Mr. Badal said that both Congress and AAP were vary of the interests of state and were least bothered about the interests of its people.The Chief Minister said that neither Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nor Congress has any sympathy with the state or its people. He said that both these parties were against the interests of state and both have a single point agenda to plunder the wealth of state.
Mr. Badal said that both these parties haven’t ever struggled for safeguarding the interests of state whereas Shiromani Akali Dal has a glorious history of waging struggle for Punjab and its people. Slamming the Congress party for its anti-Punjab stance, the Chief Minister said that the Congress was inimical to the state from day one as it denied Punjab of its legitimate territorial rights in terms of its Capital, share in river water besides attacking on Sri Durbar Sahib thereby hurting the religious sentiments of the Punjabis in general and Sikh community in particular. Likewise, he said that the Sikhs could never forgive the Congress for the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 in which thousands of innocent Sikhs were brutally killed.The Chief Minister further said that like the Congress party, AAP was also suffering from the anti-Punjab syndrome which has been exposed by the policies pursued by it in Delhi. Citing the examples, he said that AAP government in Delhi discontinued teaching of Punjabi language in schools, didn't observed a holiday on sacred Baisakhi festival, demolished the piau outside Gurdwara Sisganjh Sahib and above all have submitted an affidavit against the state in Apex court on SYL issue.
Mr Badal said that disguised in robe of Aam Aadmi (common man), these people were working overtime against the interests of the state.Later on Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan program in village Bhai Ka kera, the Chief Minister said that he would raise the issue to resume the broadcast of Punjabi news bulletin service from All India Radio (AIR) with the Government of India (GoI). He said that the state government was duty-bound to promote Punjabi language and culture across the globe and every effort would be made to get the orders regarding stopping of this broadcast revoked. “We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that this bulletin service is restarted at the earliest”, added Mr. Badal. On another query the Chief Minister expressed deep concern over desecration of Gurdwara Sahib in Srinagar and imposition of tax on Gurdwara Sahib in Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh). He said that such incidents tormented the psyche of every human being who has faith in religion adding that such incidents must be avoided as they have serious repercussions. Mr. Badal said that every state government must ensure that sanctity of every religion was maintained.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister held the Congress party squarely responsible for denial of capital city of Chandigarh to the state. He said that though the Congress leaders were now shedding crocodile tears on this issue but it was a fact that they were the real culprits of denial of Chandigarh to Punjab. Every child of state knows this fact that Congress has done grave injustice with state by denying us our capital, added Mr. Badal.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chairman Punjab Agro Jathedar Dyal Singh Kolianwali, Chairman Puncofed Mr. Kulwinder Singh Bhai Ka kera, Chairman Mr. Tejinder Singh Middukhera, district Coordinator SAD Mr. Avtar Singh Vanwalla, Member Punjab Women Commission Bibi Veerpal Kaur Tarmala, Member Punjab Tubewell Corporation Mr. Harmesh Singh Khudian, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Sumit Jaranghal and Senior Superintendent of Police Mr. Gurpreet Singh.