Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that before seeking white paper on the fiscal condition of the state, the Union Ministers from state should peep into their conscience to ascertain how the economic health of country had deteriorated under the ‘misrule’ of the UPA government at the centre.Talking to the media persons after unveiling the biography of Mr. OP Munjal, the founder of Hero cycles, here today, the Chief Minister said that it was on record that the economic position of the country was at the lowest ebb due to the wrong policies of the Union government. He said that the exchange value of Rupee against Dollar has touched its all time low and the prices of the essential commodities were sky rocketing, much to the dismay of common man. Mr. Badal said that moreover the UPA has failed miserably in safeguarding the interests of the country due to which it has lost the moral right to remain in power.
The Chief Minister further said that being at the helms of the affairs of the country, the Union government was duty bound to preserve the sovereignty of the nation but unfortunately it has also failed in providing external and internal security to the countrymen. He said that the centre government owes an explanation to the countrymen as why it has remained mute spectator to the continuous attack on country’s sovereignty by the Pakistan and China. Mr. Badal said that the people of the country were fed up by the weakness of the Union government.Making a scathing attack on the Union Ministers from state, the Chief Minister dared them to list any single achievement of theirs for bringing any project in Punjab. He said that the Union Ministers and the Congress leadership were criticizing the state government for the sake of criticism whereas it was a fact that the state has witnessed unparalleled development in the regime of SAD-BJP government. Mr. Badal said that due to the stupendous efforts of the SAD-BJP government, today the state was leading the country in the fields of Education and Health care.
The Chief Minister said that the Congress has always meted out step motherly treatment with Punjab due to which the industry of the state has been ruined. He said that the centre has deliberately extended financial incentives to many hill states which have not only destroyed the backbone of the state’s industry but has resulted in its flight from Punjab to other states. Mr. Badal also castigated the Union government for making mockery of the flood victims by issuing a meager compensation to them.When asked to comment on the ongoing war of words between the Congress leaders, the Chief quipped that it shows that the Congress was a ‘house of cards’ which would collapse sooner or later. He said that Congress leaders were habitual of making such political gimmicks to grab the attention of the people adding that in dearth of the issues against the state government the Congress leaders were resorting to malicious propaganda to mislead the people. Mr. Badal said that the wise people of the state were well aware of the dubious character of the Congress leadership and they would not fell prey to their cheap tactics.
Earlier while unveiling the book, the Chief Minister recalled the immense contribution made by Mr. Munjal in emerging Ludhiana on the industrial map of the world by manufacturing the Hero cycles. He also lauded the role played by Mr. Munjal in philanthropic causes like opening of schools and colleges to help the needy. Mr. Badal said that the life of this great entrepreneur of Punjab would act as a source of inspiration for the many coming generations. Prior to this the Chief Minister also inaugurated ‘Hunar’ a skill centre of the Hero group in its premises. In his address the Mr. Badal said that the need of the hour was that the industrial units and the state government should join hands to impart quality skill training to the unemployed youth for making them self employed on one hand and weaning them away from the drugs on the other. He expressed hope that the centre opened by the Hero group would act as lighthouse for the other industrial units to follow its footsteps. The Chief Minister also assured fulsome support and cooperation to the industrial units for such endeavors.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Mr. OP Munjal and Mr. Pankaj Munjal.
Earlier in the morning the Chief Minister, while addressing a function at the Gobind Gau Dham, said that the state government in cooperation with the managements of the Gau Dhams was mulling over a scheme to tackle the menace of stray cattle in the state. He said that the government would extend all possible help to the managements of Gau Dhams for this cause. Mr. Badal also said that the state government has enacted stringent laws to check cow slaughter in the state adding that in accordance with the teachings of great gurus, saints and seers the state government was taking every possible step to protect Cows in the state.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Ministers Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Mr. Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon, former Minister Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria, former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Harish Rai Dhanda, former Vice-Chairman Punjab Planning Commission Prof. Rajinder Bhandari and former MLA Mr. Ranjit Singh Talwandi.