Silencing the controversy erupted over the issue regarding the denial of financial package to Punjab by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that he was confident that the Centre would certainly bail out the state from the financial stringency in the near future.Talking to the media persons on the sidelines on the Chhapaar Mela, the Chief Minister categorically said that Mr. Arun Jaitley was a true statesman and a seasoned politician of high stature, who never nursed any personal grudge against any inpidual or party. Mr. Badal reiterated that the SAD-BJP has a pious and long lasting alliance, where such petty considerations have even no place in the minds of national leaders like Mr. Jaitley, who was ever vying to ensure overall development and prosperity of the states to make our nation strong without any bias or prejudice. Replying to another question about making the Mr. Arun Jaitley’s letter public as demanded by PPCC President Mr. Partap Singh Bajwa, the Chief Minister said that the said letter has been widely published in the media and now there was hardly any need to make it public.Showing deep anguish and concern over the attacks on the Sikhs in Pakistan, the Chief Minister said that he would certainly take up this matter with the Union Government to seek their intervention to urge the Pakistan National Government to ensure the security and safety of the Sikhs living over there.
Expressing solidarity with the millions of J&K people tormented by the recent worst ever flash floods in the valley, the Chief Minister said that he would soon talk to his J&K counterpart Mr. Omar Abdullah to extend all possible assistance in this hour of crisis as per their requirements. Mr. Badal said that he had even asked the SGPC and other voluntary and religious organizations to come forward for organizing free community kitchens (langars) in the valley to provide food and succor to the distressed families. He also offered all sort of help to the J&K government for carrying out evacuation of marooned families stranded in deep waters and their subsequent rehabilitation.Chiding the Congress for their partisan role to weaken the Sikh institutions, the Chief Minister said that the sacred Institutions like SGPC were the strong hold of Sikh community and such deliberate attempts to destabilize them would never be tolerated by the Sikhs. He said that it was very unfortunate and highly deplorable on the part of Congress to meddle in the religious affairs of the Sikhs, which had ever remained inimical to the Sikh community. Mr. Badal said that the Congress ruled states like Haryana and Maharashtra have vindicated our stand that Congress was an anti-Sikh party as it was solely responsible for creating separate Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee on one hand and diluting the membership of SGPC from four to one in the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board, Nanded Sahib besides even denying the lone membership to the Chief Khalsa Diwan.
Earlier addressing the public gathering on the historic Chhapaar Mela, the Chief Minister highly appreciated the political acumen and leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, who had already won the hearts of billions of people across the world especially through his visits to Bhutan, Nepal and Japan to strengthen the bi-lateral ties with these countries. He said that SAD had special love and affection for Mr. Modi which was evident from the fact that the SAD was the first party which came forth to declare him as a future Prime Minister of the country even much before nearly three months from elections. He said Mr. Modi’s special bond for Punjab and Punjabis would ensure rich pidends to the state in the coming days adding Mr. Badal said that the period of three months in saddle was hardly any time to concentrate on all issues. Mr. Badal said that Punjab would be richly compensated for its enormous contribution in the National development especially in the field of agriculture, as this frontrunner state had been blatantly ignored by the previous Congress led UPA government.
Highlighting the major achievements of SAD-BJP alliance government in the field of education, health care and power, Mr. Badal said that the day was not very far of when Punjab would soon become No. 1 state in the country. He said that the state government was laying special emphasis on the core sector of health and education besides skill development to ensure gainful employability of the youth.Making frontal attack on the AAP, the Chief Minister said that its sudden popularity has been completely vanished like a sand dune perished by the whirlwind. He said people have duly realized its real existence due to which its candidates could not even save their security deposits in the recently concluded by-poll to Patiala and Talwandi Sabo Assembly segments. He said it has no political future and could not befool innocent people of Punjab any longer. Prominent amongst those who were present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Mr. Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon, Advisor to CM Mr. Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Mr. Manpreet Singh Ayali, Mr. SR Kaler, Mr. Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Mr. Ranjit Singh Dhillon (All MLAs), PSSSB Chairman Mr. Santa Singh Umaidpuri, Former Union Minister Mr. Balwant Singh Ramuwalia besides senior leaders and party workers of SAD-BJP.