Lauding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian Army for successfully conducting surgical operation in Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that this action was necessary to teach Pakistan a lesson for its anti-India moves.Addressing the gathering during visit to relief camp here today, the Chief Minister said that India had always been a votary of peace and communal harmony but Pakistan has always considered this stance of our country as its weakness. He said that successive Prime Ministers of India including Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now Mr. Narendra Modi had always worked for promoting ethos of peace and brotherhood but Pakistan always backstabbed India by its sinister moves. “Therefore the Government of India (GoI) was forced to conduct the surgical operations as an apt reply to sinister moves of Pakistan” added Mr. Badal.The Chief Minister said that the unprecedented, courageous, heroic and decisive act of Mr. Modi hardly finds any parallel across the globe. Mr. Badal said that Pakistan had been testing the patience of India by sponsoring attack in Mumbai, Parliament house and others but now it had crossed all the limits by sponsoring attack in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. So, Mr Badal said that India led by Mr. Modi gave a befitting answer to Pakistan by destroying terror pads in PoK, which was highly laudable.
Striking an emotional chord with the residents of border region, the Chief Minister said that the entire country was thankful to them for braving all odds while living in this part of the state. Mr. Badal said due to frequent threat of war this region could not develop as compared to other parts of the state. Likewise, he said that brave people of the region have to confront number of problems during their day to day life.The Chief Minister said that not only the state but the entire country was indebted to these people for their exemplary courage and patriotism. He said that the state government was duty-bound to extend a helping hand to these people, who have left their homes after escalation of tension between India and Pakistan. Mr. Badal said that he along with top brass of the state government was regularly monitoring the arrangements in relief camps to facilitate the people.Complimenting the officers of district administration for making fool proof arrangements for people in relief camps, the Chief Minister said that evacuation of large populace of people within 10 kilometres radius of border was a gigantic task. But, he said that the administration performed this task aptly. Mr. Badal said that the evacuation has been carried out on the advisory of Government of India (GoI) to avoid any sort of loss to general public.The Chief Minister reiterated that despite ongoing tension at Indo-Pak border the agriculturalists were being allowed to harvest their produce at every cost. He said that the crops were as dear to the farmers as their children and they could not bear this loss at any cost.
Mr. Badal said that in view of this situation the GoI has also allowed the farmers having their land across the fence to reap and lift their crop.The Chief Minister said that the state government would soon release the pending compensation of farmers having land across the border fence. He said that the state government has always extended a helping hand to the farmers of border region and every effort would be made to bail them out of current crisis. Mr. Badal said that the state government was duty-bound to help the farmers in this hour of crisis.Recalling the great service rendered by border residents of the state to the country, theChief Minister again urged the GoI to start a special recruitment drive for enabling the youth of border areas to join Indian Army and para military forces. Mr. Badal said that the youth of this region was blessed by indomitable spirit of courage and self sacrifice, so efforts must be made to channelize this energy for country.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Mr. Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Lok Sabha MP Mr. Sher Singh Ghubaya, Chairman Punjab Agro Jathedar Dyal Singh Kolianwali, MLA Mr. Darshan Singh Kotfatta, Member Punjab Women Commission Bibi Veerpal Kaur Tarmala, Principal Secretary Mr. A Venuprasad, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Dr. S Karunaraju, Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr. RS Khatra, Deputy Commissioner Ms. Isha Kalia and Senior Superintendent of Police Mr. Narendra Bhargav.