Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today exhorted the people of the state to rout out the Congress party in the next General Elections as it was not possible to accelerate the pace of development in the state without forming the government of the allies of Shiromani Akali Dal at Centre.
Addressing the gathering at the state level function organized here to mark the death anniversary of former President of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra, the Chief Minister termed the Congress party as the number one enemy of the state. He said that since long time the Congress party has been meting out step motherly treatment to the state by irrelevantly meddling in its social, political, economic and even the religious matters. Mr Badal said that owing to this discriminatory policy of the Congress, Punjab which was once considered as most prosperous and advanced state of the country has now lagged behind in many sectors.
The Chief Minister said that it is only the vision of the SAD-BJP government which has ushered a new era of all round development in the state adding that the state government would leave no stone unturned to accelerate it further. He reiterated that the need of hour was to ensure peace, communal harmony and amity in the state so that tempo on ongoing development could be maintained. Mr Badal lamented that some inimical forces were trying to mislead the people about SAD by using the ‘Panthic Agenda’. However he said that, the SAD has always adopted the ‘Panthic Agenda’ as shown by the Sikh Gurus which include welfare of all sections of society, communal harmony and giving equal respect to every religion. The Chief Minister said that raising slogans of hatred and adoption of warpath always could not be termed as ‘Panthic Agenda’.
Terming the construction of historical memorials related to the Sikh history as biggest achievement of their previous regime, the Chief Minister said that soon a state of art memorial for depicting the role played by Punjabis in the freedom struggle of country would be constructed in the Doaba region of the state.
Expressing gratitude to the SAD workers who had played vital role in the formation of SAD-BJP government again in the state, Mr Badal said with the formation of the government in the state the responsibility of ensuring peace and communal harmony along with the proper implementation of government schemes and policies also lies on their shoulders.
Paying laurel tributes to Jathedar Tohra, the Chief Minister said that he was the only multi faceted personality of the Panth who had contributed immensely in every field whether it was religious, political, social or educational. He said that Jathedar Tohra played a significant role in the formation of successive Akali Governments in the past adding that the party could be made stronger by getting an inspiration from Jathedar Tohra’s sacrifice and commitment towards party.
Prominent amongst those who addressed the occasion included Cabinet Minister Mr Surjeet Singh Rakhra, Rajya Sabha MP and SAD General Secretary Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, SAD General Secretary Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, former Punjab Minister Mr Harmail Singh Tohra and Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh.