Exhorting every Punjabi to become an ‘Ambassador of peace and progress, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked everyone of them to for making take pledge for making Punjab a ‘peaceful and prosperous’ state. Addressing the mammoth gathering here during the fourth Sadbhawna rally here today, the Chief Minister said that forces inimical to the peace and tranquility of the state were hell bent upon pushing the state back into the black days. However, he said that it was the bounden duty of every citizen of the state to safeguard the peace and progress of the state by spreading the message of communal harmony and brotherhood. “All of you should take a firm pledge to follow the footsteps of our greats Gurus, saints and seers, who have preached us the lesson of universal brotherhood, compassion and humanity, to protect the interests of the state” added Mr. Badal.The Chief Minister said that peace and harmony were the basic ingredients of progress and prosperity of any country. Recalling the turbulent times of militancy, he said that more than 21,000 innocent people lost their lives during those difficult times. Mr. Badal said that Punjabis paid a heavy price of that period as due to it Punjab lagged behind in development. “We are organizing these Sadbhawna rallies not for any political purpose but for promoting ethos of peace and communal harmony in the state” he added.
Describing the sacrilege incidents in the state as unfortunate incident, the Chief Minister said that these heinous incidents have bruised the psyche of every human being in general and that of Sikhs in particular. However, he bemoaned that former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had shown grave irresponsibility by alleging that it was a handiwork of state government to distract the public attention. Mr. Badal said that being a devout Sikh he respects Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji more than his life and none of them could ever think of such sin. “Captain had used Chief Minister’s official residence for constructing bars whereas ever since I have shifted Prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is being done there with full maryada, because we highly respect our eternal Guru” he added.
Coming down heavily on Captain Amarinder Singh, the Chief Minister said that Captain and separatist leader Simaranjit Singh Mann, who had attended the Chaba congregation, were relatives and they together hatch the conspiracies to derail Punjab’s peace and progress. He said that Captain and Mann meet every evening to draw strategies for pushing the state in black days. Mr. Badal said that Congress and these separatist leaders were hand in glove with each other and both have a single point agenda to divide Punjab on sectarian lines, which would not be allowed at any cost.Making a scathing attack on Captain, the Chief Minister said that this ‘most powerful leader’ of the Congress was very weak in front of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as we have trounced him badly in two successive polls. He said that they were well aware of Captain and his politics, which was totally a misfit in democracy. “Captain still has an autocratic mindset and his announcement regarding coronation ceremony was a reflection of it as in Democracies party presidents assumes office and coronation was totally unheard and irrelevant” he added.
Quipping over the claims of Captain regarding fall in graph of SAD, the Chief Minister dared him to attend any Sadbhawana rally in disguise and see the upbeat mood of every single Akali worker. He said that Congress has realized that it was too weak to counter the popularity of SAD due to which it was now taking of making a grand alliance in coming elections. However, Mr. Badal said that this would also not work for Congress and Captain as people of the state strongly backed the SAD-BJP alliance for its pro-people and development oriented policies.Taking the Congress party to cudgels, the Chief Minister said that the Punjabis in general and Sikh community in particular could never forgive the Congress party for its sins against Punjab. Mr. Badal said that how could the Sikh community forget sins of Congress like Operation Blue Star and 1984 anti-Sikh carnage, which have inflicted deep wounds on the Sikh psyche. He further bemoaned that the Congress governments at the centre had deliberately denied the state of Punjabi speaking areas, its capital Chandigarh and even its legitimate share in river waters.
In a major announcement, the Chief Minister said that head to tail concrete rejuvenation of Bist-doab Canal would be done at Rs 320 crore within a year. He said that this project, the work on which has already started, would enhance the irrigation capacity of ‘lifeline of Doaba’ six times from existing 35000 hectares to 2 lakh hectares.The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister S. Sukhbir Singh Badal today launched all out attack on communalism and elements with nefarious designs and said that such forces are out to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of the state.Addressing a mammoth rally here, he said that these anti-Punjab and anti-National forces had no religion but only one goal which was to destabilize the state. He further said that these elements having religious communalism as their sole agenda, have ruined countries like---Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Iran.The Deputy Chief Minister added that these dark forces had indulged in the very unfortunate incidents of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji besides attacking the most sacred institutions of Sikhism---i.e. Sri Akal Takht Sahib, SGPC and violating the sanctity of Sarbat Khalsa. He also informed that the investigation into sacrilege cases was handed over to CBI to bring out the whole truth.
Severely criticizing the Congress, he said the party had aligned with extremist forces only for the sake of votebank politics. He further divulged that the infighting among Giani Zail Singh and Darbara Singh earlier had destroyed the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab which took the state back by many years and now the same was being replicated in the form Bajwa-Captain rivalry.About the statement of Captain Amarinder Singh saying that congress leaders attended November 10 gathering as Sikhs, S. Badal said that now the congress is remembering Sikhism and its ideals but where was this ideology of congress when it attacked Sri Harmandir Sahib and indulged in ethnic cleansing of the Sikhs in 1984. Taking captain to task, S. Badal said that Captain hobnobbed with radicals during his visit abroad and was even honoured by them but when the ministers and leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal visit foreign countries they face slogans. Attacking Rahul Gandhi, S. Badal said that this prince of anti-Punjab Gandhi family was now shedding crocodile tears over the plight of people but his hidden agenda is to disturb communal harmony of the State.
Describing Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as a party of martyrs, he said that the party has made numerous sacrifices and secured peace for the state. Elaborating more, he said that Sant Harchand Singh Longowal was a martyr to the cause of establishing peace in Punjab and Late Jathedar Tohra was also attacked for speaking against extremism.Sukhbir Badal also announced that keeping in view the problems faced by NRIs from Doaba region, the Punjab Government has raised the issue with Union Civil Aviation Ministry to start the flights from Adampur airport and it would be the reality soon.Announcing to dedicate the year 2016 to the development, the Deputy CM said that Rs. 10,000 crore would be spent on to provide infrastructure in all rural and urban areas that included Rs. 6000 crore for villages and Rs. 4000 crore for towns to provide 100 percent sewage, lighting and drinking water. Besides, Mr. Badal has also said that Rs. 25 crore would be spent on each assembly segment for overall development of the constituencies
Touching the development agenda, S. Badal said that real progress of Punjab took place during the SAD-BJP government under the leadership of Chief Minister S.Parkash Singh Badal. He divulged that the SAD-BJP government took several people friendly and pro-development measures such as strengthening road infrastructure at a cost of Rs. 20000 crore , constructing dhramshalas for poor people at government cost, Atta-Dal scheme, construction of Focal Points, Sewa kendars after every 4 villages, Water and Sewerage connections in every grain market, Waiving tube well bills, Making Punjab power surplus, Airport at Mohali and Tirath yatra scheme. He dared the Congress to list even a single achievement during its tenure.Asking the people to distinguish between good and bad, S. Badal exhorted them to maintain perfect peace and communal harmony in the state so as to defeat the nefarious designs of forces inimical to the cause of harmony in Punjab.
Earlier in his address state BJP chief Mr. Kamal Sharma recalled the immense contribution of NRI brethren from Doaba region settled abroad in ushering an era of unprecedented development in the state. He exhorted the NRI brethren to foil the nefarious designs of the forces trying to disturb peace, communal harmony and brotherhood in the state. Mr. Sharma said that NRI brothers should not extend any sort of direct or indirect support to such forces, who were hell bent upon disturbing hard earned peace of state. He also said that the sadbhawna rallies being organized by the alliance have become a mass movement with the proactive support of people of state.Meanwhile, the senior Akali leader and Cabinet Minister Jathedar Ajit Singh Kohar conducted the proceedings of the Sadbhawna rally.
Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Cabinet Ministers Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema and Mr. Sohan Singh Thandal, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Mr. Pawan Kumar Teenu, Chaudhary Nand Lal, KD Bhandari, Bibi Mohinder Kaur Josh, Mr. Avinash Chander and Mr. Som Parkash, MLAs Mr. Manoranjan Kalia, Mr. Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Mr. Pargat Singh, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Jathedar Surinder Singh Bhullewal Ratthan, Mr. Gurpratap Singh Wadala and Bibi Sukhjit Kaur Sahi, Lok Sabha MP Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Chairman MARKFED Mr. Jarnail Singh Wahid, Advisor to Chief Minister on National Affairs and Media Mr. Harcharan Bains, Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Tikshan Sud, former Minister Bibi Upinderjeet Kaur, former MLA Mr. Sarabjeet Singh Makkar, President District Akali Dal Jalandhar Mr. Gurcharan Singh Channi , President DSGMC Mr. Manjit Singh GK, President of Youth Akali Dal Doaba Zone Mr. Sarbjot Singh Saabi, Senior Vice President of Istri Akali Dal Bibi Rajwinder Kaur Raju and Bibi Gurdev Kaur Sangha.