Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that there was no match between the 'darbars' of Maharajas and pro-people Sangat Darshan of SAD-BJP alliance government. Addressing the public gathering during Sangat Darshan program in Malout assembly segment, the Chief Minister said that Congress leaders with aristocratic mindset were free to hold darbars provided they were of some utility to general public. On the other hand, he said that it was on record that Sangat Darshan program was very fruitful in redressing the grievances of the every strata of society. Mr. Badal categorically said that the politically motivated darbars of Congress leaders reflect their feudal mindset whereas the Sangat Darshans were unique phenomena where entire government visits village to village for solving the problems of people.The Chief Minister said that Punjab was the only state where the head of the state conducts a comprehensive exercise for ensuring the welfare of public. He said that Sangat Darshans guarantee holistic development of villages and welfare of people on one hand and enable the government to judge the performance of its officers on the other. “This is first of its kind program in entire country as no other Chief Minister bothers to take so much pain” added Mr. Badal.
Asserting that Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) would never become a reality, the Chief Minister today avowed to make every sacrifice to protect the river waters of the state. He said that SYL agreement was a grave injustice done by the successive Congress governments with the state. He said that Akali Dal was opposed to this agreement, which robbed the water of state, from day one adding that now also they were firm to their stand to not allow the construction of this canal at any cost.
Slamming the Delhi Chief Minister Mr. Arvind Kejriwal for taking anti-Punjab stance on SYL issue, the Chief Minister said that as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo hailed from Haryana so he was naturally inclined towards safeguarding the interests of his state and nothing good for Punjab could be expected from him. He said that Mr. Kejriwal has no affection with Punjab or its people and his sole intention was to wrest political power in the state. Mr. Badal said that the love of Delhi Chief Minister was confined only upto attaining political power whereas in reality it was a fact that he was pursuing the agenda of securing the interests of his native state on SYL issue.
Later on interacting with the media persons at village Fakkarsar, the Chief Minister advocated the continuation of the MSP regime of procurement of crops for providing food and nutritional security to the country. He said that for revival of agriculture sector, which has now turned to be non profitable venture due to high input costs and low returns resulting in mounting farmers' debt and suicides, the continuation of procurement at MSP was the need of the hour. Mr. Badal said that continuing this system of price support mechanism to the farmers was must for bailing out agriculturalists from current agrarian crisis.Replying to another query, the Chief Minister slammed the Congress party for giving pivotal role to the perpetrators of 1984 Sikh carnage. He said that it was a known fact that the Congress party was instrumental in the genocide of Sikhs in 1984 in which thousands of innocents Sikhs were brutally killed by the mob led by the Congress leaders.Meanwhile during Sangat Darshan in village Abul Khurana, Jhandwala, Fakkarsar and others, the Chief Minister distributed grants for carrying on development works.The Chief Minister was accompanied by MLA Mr. Harpreet Singh Malout, Chairman Punjab Agro Jathedar Dyal Singh Kolianwali, Lok Sabha MP Mr. Sher Singh Ghubaya, Chairman PUNCOFED Mr. Kulwinder Singh Bhai Ka Kera, Circle President Mr. Avtar Singh Vanwala, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Sumit Jaranghal.