Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab today slammed the statement of Rahul Gandhi saying that, “poverty is nothing but state of mind,” and said that alien Rahul was oblivious about the ground level situation in the villages.Speaking to media persons, Mr. Badal said that it was surprising that leaders, who have not fought even Panchayat elections during their life time were ruling the country and without any knowledge of ground level situation they were framing policies sitting in air conditioned rooms in Delhi. He said that it was Indira Gandhi, who gave the slogan of ‘Gareebi Hatao’ and now her grandson Rahul was bent upon removing poor from the geographical map of the country. He said that by closing your eyes to the problem does not solve it but lingers its solution. Mr. Badal said that it is SAD-BJP Government that knows the pulse of the people and frames its policies according to the actual needs of the people. it was Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, who came out with Shagun Scheme, Atta Daal Scheme, Old age pension scheme according to the felt needs of the people. He said that it was matter of great regret that Congress instead of supporting pro-people, pro-poor policies of SAD-BJP Government tried to scuttle these policies by petitioning Union Government to stop grants for different schemes. Mr. Badal said that it was laughable that Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who decried Atta-Daal scheme a wasteful expenditure by Punjab Government, was forced to eat the humble pie by copying Atta Daal scheme into Food Security Ordinance to save his chair.
Badal said that India was suffering at every international forum because of weak kneed policies of Congress led UPA Government with even Malpes, Nepal and Bangladesh showing eyes to India. He said that realizing the fact that Prime Minister of India was not in control of situation, every neighbour was entering India with immunity and India was failing to safeguard its territorial borders. He said that every third day China enters India and now Pakistan is gloating after killing five soldiers after entering in Indian territory. Mr. Badal said that when India failed to give a strong message to Pakistan after barbaric attack on Mumbai on 26/11 and later after beheading of our soldiers, Mr. Badal said that by its repeated incursions Pakistan was exposing the hollowness of future super power India.
Badal blamed Congress led UPA Government for deliberately creating mining product crisis in Punjab to defame the government with an eye on polls. He said that it was ironical that Union Environment Ministry at the instance of Punjab Congress was delaying the environmental clearance to different mines to create artificial scarcity of the sand and gravel. He said that despite taking up the matter constantly, the Union Environment Ministry was unnecessarily delaying the clearance of mines. He said that within two months situation would be improved.
Charging Union Government of copying Atta-Daal Scheme in food security bill, Mr. Badal said that it should have also include Daal with foodgrain in the ambit of food security bill as nobody can survive only on wheat and rice. Earlier Congratulating the Sarpanches and Panches of Fatehgarh Sahib District, Mr. Badal said that people of Punjab has brought back SAD-BJP Government impressed by its Development Mantra. He said that the fact is that Congress failed to read the pulse of people whereas five time Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, who has risen from masses from the post of Sarpanch, Block Samiti Member, Zila Parishad President, MLA, MP and Central Minister knew the felt needs of the people and came out with policies according to the requirement of poor people. He said that Congress believed in five star culture whereas it was Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, who came out with Shagun Scheme, Atta Daal Scheme, Old age pension scheme according to the felt needs of the people. He said that it was matter of great regret that Congress instead of supporting pro-people, pro-poor policies of SAD-BJP Government tried to scuttle these policies by petitioning Union Government to stop grants for different schemes. Mr. Badal said that it was laughable that Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who decried Atta-Daal scheme a wasteful expenditure by Punjab Government was forced to eat the humble pie by copying Atta Daal scheme into Food Security Ordinance to save his chair.
Announcing expansion of Atta Daal scheme from 15 lakh families to 30 lakh families, launching of Scholarship scheme for meritorious students of Rs. 30000, employability allowance of Rs. 1000 to unemployed graduate youth, Rs. 30,000 cashless insurance to all 30 lakh Atta Daal families, Mr. Badal said that we have focused our energy in fulfilling our promises made to the people in elections. He also announced Rs. 1700 crore for repair of village link roads. Rubbishing the Congress propaganda of economic crisis in the state, Mr. Badal said that he has already finalised Rs. 40000 crore program to link all cities with 4/6 lane roads.
Prominent amongst those, who spoke on the occasion included Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister, Justice Nirmal Singh (Retd) MLA and Mr. Prem Singh Chandumajra.Those present on the occasion included Mr. Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, MD, Cooperative Bank Patiala, Mr. Arun Sekhri, Deputy Commissioner, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mr. Malwinder Singh Jaggi, ADC, Mr. Baljeet Singh Sandhu, ADC (D), Misss Harjot KaurMr. Gurmeet Singh Chauhan, SSP, Mr. Balwant Singh, SSP (H), Mr. Gurpreet Singh SSP (D), Mr. Harwinder Singh Harpalpur, Former Chairman, Market Committee, Patiala,