Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the people of the state to be wary of the nefarious designs and false propaganda unleashed by both Congress and AAP to deceit the innocent voters by promising a moon to them just to capture power in the state by hook or crook.Addressing a massive public gathering after paying glorious tributes to Mata Gujri ji and younger Sahibzadas Baba Jorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh here at ‘Shaheedi Conference’, the Chief Minister said God forbid in case these anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh parties inadvertently were voted to power, they would ruin our rich cultural legacy based on the age old traditions of love, peace, brotherhood and harmony forever. Apart from this, the leadership of both these political parties inimical to the very interests of the Punjab would again push the state in the phase of economic backwardness, thereby halting the process of overall development and prosperity achieved due to the concerted efforts of SAD-BJP alliance over a decade long hard work and systematic planning.
The Chief Minister cautioned the people that if voted to power both the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would discontinue the several pro-people schemes and subsidies being currently given to people. Citing the examples, he said that during his stint as Chief Minister of state Captain Amarinder Singh had discontinued free power to people and welfare schemes were a distant dream during his regime. He said that the SAD-BJP alliance government has taken a number of pro-people and pro-farmer initiatives like Atta-Dal, Pension, Shagun, Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme, Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Beema Yojna, free power in farm sector.Listing the major pro-people initiatives taken by the state government, the Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP alliance government has supplied free power to the farmers of the state at a cost of Rs 5000 crore annually to bail them out from agrarian crisis. He further said that Punjab was the only state in the country to provide Atta-Dal scheme to the weaker sections adding that it was also the only state to ensure free treatment for fatal diseases like Cancer and Hepatitis C. Mr. Badal 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 reiterated that Punjab neither has spare water to share with anyone, nor any need for the construction of SYL canal and nobody would be allowed to construct this canal in future. Mr. Badal further said that water was basic ingredient of life and any such move to share the river waters of the state would be disastrous as it would devastate Punjab, adding the Chief Minister stated there was no question of constructing SYL canal as it was now a closed chapter. He said that while signing the agreement of the SYL canal the then Congress government at the Centre blatantly ignored the universally accepted Riparian Principle on river water sharing. “Every Punjabi is duty bound to oppose this move and all of us should pledge to protect the waters of the state at any cost” added Mr. Badal. Making a frontal attack on the Congress leadership for betraying Punjab and Punjabis, the Chief Minister said that Captain Amarinder Singh was the prime conspirator along with the then Congress high Command and Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, who performed the ground breaking ceremony of SYL at village Kapoori in Punjab way back in 1982. On the contrary, he said that the Akali Dal from day one vehemently opposed the construction of SYL by launching state wide morchas while the Congress was busy in merry-making.
Mr. Badal said that no true Punjabi could ever forgive Congress for sins like Operation Blue Star and the killing of innocents in 1984 Sikh genocide. He said that the Congress has inflicted a severe blow to the Punjabis by depriving them of their capital, legitimate share in river waters and even Punjabi speaking areas. Mr. Badal said that the tyrannies of the Congress, against the state have surpassed even the regime of Mughals and Britishers in terms of brutality, as this anti-Punjab party has irrelevantly meddled not only in social, economic and political but even the religious matters of the state. Eulogizing the supreme sacrifice made by the younger Sahibzadas at a tender age hardly finds any parallel in the world history, the Chief Minister said that the brave Punjabis have invoked this spirit of self-sacrifice and valour from Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, Sri Guru Arjun Dev ji, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji and Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, who had waged a relentless battle against injustice, tyranny and oppression to safeguard the human rights of the innocent and helpless people. Recalling the unparalleled and unique sacrifices made by Punjabis in the Indian freedom struggle, he mentioned that 80% sacrifices had been made by Punjabis alone in the national freedom movement despite the fact they merely constituted two percent of country’s population. Mr. Badal further said that it was also a matter of sheer pride and honor for us that all the watershed movements associated with the country’s freedom struggle like Kuka, Ghadar, Kamagata Maru, Gurdwara Reforms and Babbar Akali were spear headed by the brave Punjabis.
Paying homage to the martyrdom of Sahibzadas and Mata Gujar Kaur on the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said Sikh history is replete with sacrifices and the Sikh community has carved out a niche for itself throughout the globe owing to its dedicated and industrious nature.He also said that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is the true representative body of the Punjabi community world over especially the Sikhs and SAD has always stood by poor sections, farmers, traders and the youth through their every thick and thin. He said the welfare of Punjab is the primary mission of the party.S. Badal exhorted the Akali ranks to work with full zeal and not to rest until the target of victory at assembly polls is achieved and asked to boot out both anti-Punjab parties - Congress and AAP from the state. Taking pot-shots at the Congress party, he said it is rather unfortunate that Captain Amarinder Singh who spent his entire lifetime playing petty politics in Punjab now has to learn nitty-gritty of politics from an outsider P.K. (Prashant Kishore) by paying him Rs. 20 crore.
Taking further dig at Captain Amarinder Singh, the Deputy Chief Minister said the PPCC chief doesn’t know himself that whether his high command would make him the Chief Minister or not. Needling more, the S. Badal said after the fiasco of ‘Coffee with Captain’ the congress party should initiate ‘Jail with Captain’ as he has to face jail after verdict on hawala transactions. Branding Congress especially Gandhi family as anti-Punjab, he exhorted the people to root this party out of Punjab.Castigating AAP, the Deputy Chief Minister said this party also deserves to be booted out of Punjab as it doesn’t cares for the religion and religious sentiments of the people. He said AAP has no love lost for Punjab and is only hankering after acquiring power for which this party would have to bite the dust during polls. He further said most of the leaders of AAP are tainted and it is totally ignorant of Sikh ethos and culture.Remembering the sacrifices made by the SAD during freedom struggle, S. Badal said only SAD protected and preserved Sikh heritage and constructed places of religious and historical importance. Disclosing further, he said the makeover of the stretch from townhall to Sri Harmandir Sahib is receiving accolades worldwide and vowed to make Amritsar most beautiful city around the globe.
The Deputy Chief Minister also made a mention of the various welfare and developmental schemes of the SAD-BJP government and announced that all the villages would be transformed on the urban pattern during the course of next 5 years. He said a skill center would be opened after every 5 villages and 10 lakh youth would be provided skill training to make them capable of being in tune with the demands of skill sector.Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Rajya Sabha Member Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Member Lok Sabha Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, SGPC Chief Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar, former President SGPC Bibi Jagir Kaur and SGPC Member Mr. Karnail Singh Panjoli.Amongst others eminent personalities who attended the conference Cabinet Minister Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, MLA Justice Nirmal Singh, Akali leaders Mr. Darbara Singh Guru, Mrs. Satwant Kaur Sandhu, Mr. Swaran Singh Chanarthal, Mr. Gurpreet Singh Raju Khanna, Mr. Ranjit Singh Talwandi, Mr. Didar Singh Bhatti, Mr. Harvinderpal Singh Chandumajra, Mrs. Parmjit Kaur Landran, BJP leader Mr. Sukhpal Singh Nannu and District BJP President Mr. Pardeep Garg.