Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that there was hardly any hope of positive outcome from Manmohan-Sharif talks in view of the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan. He perceived bleak chances of any resolution to this vexed bi-lateral issue in the near future. Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of the Sangat Darshan of the Fatehgarh Churian assembly segment here today, the Chief Minister said that both the India and Pakistan has not been able to achieve any headway in such dialogue processes, held in the past, because of the mounting tension between both the countries. He said that this was the basic reason for the failure of several parleys between both the countries adding that due to the ongoing stress at border, the light at the end of tunnel was nowhere in sight. Mr. Badal said that the dialogue process was meaningless until the ongoing tension was not diffused.
However, the Chief Minister said that the restoration of peace between India and Pakistan along with the opening of more trade was the need of the hour as it would help in ushering a new era of unprecedented development of the state. He said that Punjab being a landlocked state would be immensely benefitted from the opening of trade as it would open new vistas of business for the Punjabis. Every Punjabi wants that the trade between both the countries should increase as it would give a huge economic benefit to the state besides enhancing people to people contact in the region, added Mr. Badal.
Terming the recent statement of Congress Vice President Mr. Rahul Gandhi regarding the Ordinance brought by UPA government as unfortunate, the Chief Minister said that the Nehru-Gandhi scion should have refrained from using such language which has denigrated the Prime Minister of the country. He said that Mr. Gandhi should have kept the dignity of the revered office of the Prime Minister by refraining from using such derogatory language against him. Mr. Badal said that if the Congress leader had any grouse against the ordinance than he must have discussed the matter at party platform rather than raising it publically.
Taking a dig at Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Mr. Partap Singh Bajwa, the Chief Minister said that the fact that their national President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has not met a farmer’s delegation led by the state Congress President in New Delhi reflects that ‘nobody bothers about him’. He said that neither Congress high command nor the state Congress leadership cares about Mr. Bajwa or the issues raised by him. Mr. Badal said that even the local MLAs in the state were raising a banner of revolt against the self-style functioning of the state Congress President. The Chief Minister further said that rather than promoting the development of the state, the Punjab Congress leadership was acting as ‘stumbling block’ in the way of central grants. He said that instead of issuing irrational and illogical statements, the state Congress leadership must work hard for bringing projects for the state from their government. However, Mr. Badal said that it was not possible in the regime of UPA government as the Congress has a notorious past of meting out step motherly treatment with the state.
The Chief Minister further said due to the discriminatory policies of the Congress led UPA government, the industry and agriculture of the state has been ruined. He said that despite of the enormous contribution of Punjab in making the country self reliant in food production and in the defense of the country, the state was at receiving edge due to the apathetic attitude of the Union government. Mr. Badal also said that before making any statement against the state government, the Congress leaders must introspect about the hostile attitude of their party towards the state.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that the PPP leader Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal must remember the wise voters of Punjab have time and again rejected him and his party. He said that Mr. Manpreet should not worry about the fiscal health of state as they were having more experience than PPP leader to manage the affairs of state efficaciously.
Earlier addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister reiterated that being an elected representative of the people of Punjab he had every right to hold the Sangat Darshan in the state. He said that this was the noble way of addressing the problems of the people on the spot by virtually taking the government at their doorsteps. “From the day one of assuming office as Chief Minister I have been undertaking this exercise for the convenience of public and nobody can stop me from pursuing this pro-people agenda” added Mr. Badal.Meanwhile, the Chief Minister redressed the grievances of 85 villages during the first day of his Sangat Darshan. The Chief Minister was accompanied by former Ministers Mr. Nirmal Singh Kahlon and Captain Balbir Singh Baath, former Chairman Punjab Tube Well Corporation Mr. Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon, Special Principal Secretary to CM Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh and Deputy Commissioner Dr. Abhinav Trikha.