Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that the state government was making persistent efforts to impress upon the Government of India (GoI) to return back the books, rare manuscripts and other artifacts taken away by the Indian Army from Sikh Reference Library, Amritsar during the Operation Blue Star.Interacting with the media persons after attending the seventh death anniversary of Smt Jaswant Kaur, the mother of Higher Education Minister Mr. Surjeet Singh Rakhra here at his farm house, the Chief Minister said that these rare artifacts were of immense historical and religious significance for each and every Sikh. He said that they have been constantly making vigorous efforts to bring these valuable back to the state. “We will further intensify our efforts to bring these valuable articles snatched away from us during the operation blue star back to the state”, added Mr. Badal.
Renewing his firm pledge to get back the Punjabi speaking areas and Chandigarh, hitherto deprived from the state, the Chief Minister said that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) would vehemently raise these issues with the Government of India (GoI). He bemoaned that time and again the successive Congress led governments at the centre had done grave injustice with the state by denying its capital, legitimate share in river waters and even the Punjabi speaking areas. He said that there was hardly any example in the country where the parent state has been denied of its capital, after the formation of linguistic states, other than Punjab. Mr. Badal said that it was the high time that the Union government must undo injustice meted out to the state by returning back its capital.Asked to comment on referring the Land Ordinance Bill to Joint Parliamentary Committee, the Chief Minister said that Punjab model of land acquisition was the best in the country and it should be replicated at the national level. He said that the clauses of consent, adequate compensation and rehabilitation of the farmers were must so as to devise any pro-farmer land acquisition bill. “A farmer loves his land far more than his child so it should not be taken away in any case without his express consent”, added Mr. Badal.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister reiterated the firm commitment of the state government to maintain law and order in the state every cost. He said that sporadic incidents of law and order problem were persistent in every state and even the advanced countries like USA were also not aloof from it. However, Mr. Badal said that the state government was making every effort to ensure that law and order was not disturbed in the state. On the issue of appointment of Mr. Tara Singh as the Chief of Management Board at Takht Sri Hazur sahib, the Chief Minister said that it has hurt the Sikh psyche, as every Sikh was against the political interference in their religious affairs. Mr. Badal said that he had already brought this issue in the knowledge of Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh and Maharashtra Chief Minister Mr. Devinder Fadnavis. “I am confident that issue will be resolved soon”, he added.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that in a short span of its rule the NDA government led by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has given several key projects to the state, which would be instrumental in putting the state further on high growth trajectory. He said that Sri Amritsar Sahib the holy city of the state has been chosen as heritage city under the HRIDAY scheme, which would ensure flow of central assistance worth hundred crores of Rupees for its development. Likewise, Mr. Badal said that Jallianwala Bagh has been included amongst Cultural World Heritage Site to receive special assistance for improving the infrastructure.
The Chief Minister also hailed the NDA government for allocating prestigious projects like All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Post Graduate Horticulture Research and Educational Institute.Earlier, while paying floral tributes to Mrs. Jaswant Kaur, the Chief Minister recalled her unflinching faith in the tenets of Sikhism. Mr. Badal said that she rendered immense services towards the uplift of poor and needy apart from making concerted efforts for the empowerment of women. The Chief Minister further said that she would be ever fondly remembered by her family members, nears and dears for her qualities of head and heart and guiding the destiny of her children.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, former Cabinet Minister Mr. Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur and former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Raj Khurana.