Terming the safeguarding of hard earned peace, communal harmony and national integration as main agenda of the state government, Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today said that some forces inimical to Punjab are trying to disrupt hard earned peace of the state for their own vested political gains. Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal said this while speaking to media persons on the first day of his Sangat Darshan Programme in Khanna constituency today.In reply to a question related to desecration of holy books of different religions in state, Mr Badal said that some anti social elements are constantly on the lookout for disrupting peace and communal harmony in Punjab, but the state government would never let them succeed in their evil motives. He also appealed to the people to remain vigilant from such anti social elements of the society.On a question related to the announcement of candidates for upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections due early next year, Mr Parkash Singh Badal said that there is still a lot of time left for the elections and the names of candidates would be announced at an appropriate time.
While addressing the gathering during the Sangat Darshan programme, Mr Badal termed our natural resources as a gift of nature and said that every area on this planet has been gifted with one natural resource or the other and residents of that particular area have full rights on the natural resources found there. Mr Badal said that nature has gifted natural resources in the form of water and fertile land to Punjab, but both Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are constantly trying hard to rob the state of its waters. He said that if both the parties succeeded, then it would hit the state's economy hard. The Chief Minister said that not only the farmers, but even traders, labourers and all people would be affected as our state's economy is based on Agriculture. He called upon the people to remain ready for safeguarding our waters at any cost. He said that till date, only the Shiromani Akali Dal has fought for the rights of state and even now, it would remain firm on its stand and would never compromise on the rights of state. He also appealed to residents to remain vigilant from Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, which are both "Anti Punjab".For increasing the income of Panchayat's, the Chief Minister announced tubewell connections on priority basis for all panchayat lands. He also urged the village panchayats to get tubewell connections as per the requirement of their land, so that the income of panchayats increases and it is used for different development works.
While stressing on the importance of Sangat Darshan programmes, Mr Parkash Singh Badal said that these programmes do not have any political motives. He said that the only aim of organising these programmes is to speed up development, ensuring development as per local needs and soliciting people participation in development projects. He urged people to participate in the development works in their respective villages and even keep a close watch on ongoing works so that the work is done of high quality as well as on time. He said that the Sangat Darshan programmes are held only in Punjab state and that also only when people choose him to serve the state. Mr Badal said that these programmes are a best example of democracy because these programmes ensure people participation in development.The Chief Minister today held Sangat Darshan programmes at villages Jatana, Daheru, Bija, Bhamaddi and Libra and listened to grievances of more than two dozen panchayats and even distributed cheques for development works.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Chief Minister's Special Principal Secretary Dr S Karuna Raju, ex MLA Mr Ranjit Singh Talwandi, Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board Chairman Mr Santa Singh Umedpuri, Deputy Commissioner Mr Ravi Bhagat, DIG Mr SK Kalia, Senior Akali leader Baba Jagroop Singh, Youth Akali Dal leader Mr Yadwinder Singh Yadu, SSP Khanna Mr Satinder Singh, besides several others.