Terming the Issru shoe hurling incident as a ‘deep rooted political conspiracy’, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that the political parties must refrain from stooping too low for countering their political rivals.Interacting with the media persons after paying tribute to Sant Harchand Singh Longowal in a function to mark his 29th martyrdom day here today, the Chief Minister said that it was unfortunate that the Aam Aadmi Party leadership had conceived this act just to counter the growing popularity of Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government in the state. He said that it was an unfortunate incident which was condemned by one and all. However, Mr. Badal said that as it was a part of the bigger conspiracy so the law would take its own course against the perpetrators of this crime.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that the state government was always ready to have dialogue with any section of the society to redress their grievances. He said that the doors of the state government were always open for everyone to have talk on any issue. Earlier addressing the mammoth gathering, the Chief Minister vowed to make Punjab a leading state of the country with the proactive help of the NDA government at the centre. He said that the visionary, dynamic and progressive leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi would help the state government in heralding a new era of unprecedented development in Punjab. Mr. Badal said that the routing out of UPA government from the Centre marks the end of step motherly treatment with the state adding that Punjab would soon reach the pinnacle of its glory under the NDA regime.
The Chief Minister said that as Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi hails from a modest background so he was well aware of the miseries faced by the common man. He said that with a mission to bail out the common man from the vicious circle of poverty and inflation, Mr. Modi was drafting the policies of the Government of India (GoI). However, Mr. Badal said that it was too early to assess the performance of the NDA and the Prime Minister must be given some time to perform.Lashing out at the Congress party, the Chief Minister, while squarely blaming it for meting out step motherly treatment to the state, said that the Industry and Agriculture of Punjab was ruined due to regressive policies of the Congress party during its six decade long rule in the country. He said that the Congress had never given any big ticket industrial project to the state during their rule and had rather thwarted the attempt of industrialization in the state by giving incentives to the neighboring states. “The Punjabis could never forgive the Congress party as it has irrelevantly meddled in their social, political, economic and even the religious affairs” added Badal.
Earlier paying rich tributes to Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, the Chief Minister said that the real homage to this great son of soil would be to uphold the hard earned peace, amity, brotherhood and communal harmony in the state. He said that though some forces which were inimical to the progress and development of the state were trying to fan the feelings of hatred and pisiveness in the state but the state government was committed to foil any such attempt by keeping a strict vigil over the entire situation. “We will crush the ugly head of all those forces who aspire to derail the progress and development of state” added Badal.
Recalling the supreme sacrifice made by Sant Harchand Singh Longowal to safeguard the interests of the Sikh community, the Chief Minister said that Sant Longowal was not only a great Sikh scholar and philosopher but his entire life was an inspiration for the politicians as well as common man. He said that Sant Ji had the distinction of serving the people from all the aspects whether it was religious, social or political. Mr. Badal said that Sant Ji mobilized the people against the anti-Emergency movement and Dharam Yudh Morcha to safeguard the interests of the people.
The Chief Minister further said that Sant Ji had laid down his life for safeguarding the communal harmony, peace and amity to usher in an era of unprecedented development in Punjab. However he said that then Congress Union government had back stabbed Sant Harchand Singh Longowal by not implementing the clauses of Rajeev-Longowal accord, for which the Punjabis could never forgive the Congress. On the occasion state BJP President Mr. Kamal Sharma, Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Lok Sabha MP Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra also offered floral tributes to Sant Longowal.Prominent amongst those who were present on the occasion included Cabinet Ministers Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Mr. Chunni Lal Bhagat, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Babu Parkash Chand Garg and Sant Balvir Singh Ghunas, MLA Mr. Iqbal Singh Jhunda, former Union Minister Mr. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, former Punjab Ministers Mr. Gobind Singh Kaanjla and Mr. Gobind Singh Longowal and Special Principal Secretary of Chief Minister Dr. S Karunaraju.