Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that he would take up issue of hostile attitude of Rajasthan government towards Punjabi language with his Rajasthan counterpart Mrs. Vasundhra Raje Scindia.Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan program here in Lambi Assembly Segment, the Chief Minister said that it was unfortunate that Rajasthan government has abolished post of Punjabi teachers in Government schools of Punjabi dominated areas of the state and was not providing free Punjabi text books to SC students besides not initiating recruitment process for Punjabi teachers. He said that this was a serious issue and a grave injustice with Punjabis settled in Rajasthan. Mr. Badal said that he would flag up this issue with Rajasthan CM and seek its early resolution.Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that he was given robe of honour (Siropa) by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) during his visit to Golden Temple on Friday. However, Mr. Badal said that as a devout Sikh he had went to Sri Harmandir Sahib for paying obeisance and not for taking Siropa. The Chief Minister said that he was a firm follower of tenet of Sikhism and was duty bound to pay obeisance at Sri Darbar Sahib.
Reiterating the firm commitment of the SAD-BJP alliance to maintain communal harmony, peace and brotherhood in the state, the Chief Minister said that nobody would be ever allowed to disturb the hard earned peace in the state. He said that the state government was keeping a strict vigil over every incident in the state and no sort of laxity was being adopted in it. Mr. Badal said that the state government was duty bound to maintain law and order in Punjab at any cost.Asked to comment on Sikh Preacher Sant Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwala’s demand for CBI enquiry regarding attack on him, the Chief Minister said that the state Police was competent enough to investigate the entire matter. He said that the state Police must be allowed to complete its enquiry in a fair manner.
Highlighting the significance of Sangat Darshan program, the Chief Minister said that it was a flagship program of his government from the first day ever since he assumed the office. He said that this program finds no parallel across the country as no other Chief Minister bothers to spare so much time for the people by solving their problems at their doorsteps. Mr. Badal said that this program helps in quick resolution of public problems on one hand besides judging the performance of the government officers/ officials on the other.
However, the Chief Minister said that the forces wary to the interests of the state had been constantly opposing this pro-people initiative tooth and nail. He said that those people who have done nothing for the welfare of state were criticizing it just for the sake of criticism. Mr. Badal said that this criticism would hardly deter him from carrying out this exercise of immense public importance and he would continue to serve the people through this initiative.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chairman Punjab Agro Jathedar Dyal Singh Kolianwali, Chairman Mr. Tejinder Singh Middukhera, Mr. Avtar Singh Vanwala, Special Principal Secretary to CM Dr. S Karuna Raju, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Sumit Jarangal, DIG Bathinda Range Mr. Yurinder Singh Hair and SSP Mr. Gurpreet Singh Gill.