Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that it is sad that some farmer unions are playing petty politics over issues related to the farmers of the state and are misguiding the masses over this sensitive issue. He was referring to the Rail Roko call given by farmer unions in Punjab. On the issue of purchase of fake pesticides, the Deputy CM said that the Punjab government has already ordered a high level probe in this regard and that the guilty would not be spared.Deputy CM Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal said this while speaking to media persons after attending the Barsi Samagam of Late Mr Tejinderpal Singh Makkar, son of Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jathedar Avtar Singh, at Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Model Town Extension, here today.
While speaking to the media persons, Mr Badal said that it is painful that some farmer unions are politicising the issues related to farmers for petty gains. He said that the Rail Roko call given by these unions is an example of that. He said that Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal is most worried about the plight of farmers of Punjab and always works for their betterment.He said that Mr Parkash Singh Badal is the first Chief Minister of the country who has given maximum benefits to the farmers. He said that the maximum damage in White Fly attack on cotton crop was witnessed in Haryana, followed by Rajasthan and Punjab. "Though the extent of loss in Punjab was less as compared to Haryana and Rajasthan, but Punjab has paid maximum compensation to the farmers," Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal said while adding that a high level probe has already been ordered in the purchase of fake pesticides.Sukhbir Singh Badal said that it was due to the efforts of Punjab CM that the compensation amount for damaged cotton crop has been increased from Rs 3,000 per acre to Rs 8,000 per acre, which is much more than the compensation given by other states. He further said that a high level team headed by ADGP level officer is already investigating this matter and any person found guilty would not be spared.
While addressing the gathering on the Barsi Samagam of Late Tejinderpal Singh Makkar, the Deputy CM said that family of Jathedar Avtar Singh has always worked for the betterment of Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiat.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Advisor to CM Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Irrigation Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, District Planning Board chairman Hira Singh Gabria, MLA's Manpreet Singh Ayali, Ranjit Singh Dhillon, Darshan Singh Shivalik, SR Kler, Rakesh Pandey, Punjab Agro chairman Amrik Singh Aliwal, DSGMC general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa, former SGPC president Prof Kirpal Singh Badoongar, ex MLAs Ranjit Singh Talwandi, Malkit Singh Dakha, Special Principal Secretary to Deputy CM and Director Information & Public Relations Rahul Tewari, Deputy Commissioner Rajat Agarwal, Police Commissioner Paramraj Singh Umranangal, Harbhajan Singh Dang, Madan Lal Bagga, Chief Secretary SGPC Harcharan Singh, besides several others.