Terming the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as the only secular political party in the country, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that the party has given due representation to each and every strata of society. Talking to the media persons on the sidelines of the first day of his Sangat Darshan program in Bathinda city here today, the Chief Minister said that it was a fact that the SAD was following the footsteps of the great Sikh Gurus who have taught them the message of communal harmony, love, brotherhood, peace and above all of egalitarian society with pure secular character. He said that was why they have always tried to give adequate representation to all the sections of society in the party fold and even in the state government. Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that neither the former Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala nor any of his family members had ever met him to express the desire of Mr. Barnala to rejoin the SAD. However he said that any decision regarding the return of Mr. Barnala to the SAD fold would be taken by the party. Mr. Badal reiterated that he hardly had any inkling about the intentions of former Chief Minister to join SAD adding that he had came to know about this from the media reports. Earlier addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that Sangat Darshan program was a very fruitful exercise as it brought the government virtually at the doorsteps of the people. He said that the people were highly benefitted from this move as they were able to get their pending issues resolved immediately. Mr. Badal said that the sole aim of this entire exercise was to give boost to the ongoing development process in the state.
The Chief Minister further said that due to the stupendous efforts made by the state government massive development has taken place in Bathinda due to which the district has undergone considerable transformation during the past few years. However he said that still lot was to be needed for facilitating the residents of this historic city due to which all out efforts were being made by the state government. Mr. Badal said that in order to have better understanding of all the problems of the city he had decided to hold Sangat Darshan for two consecutive days in Bathinda. The Chief Minister further said that the state government was totally working on a constructive agenda to ensure the overall development of the state. He said that due to the concerted efforts of the state government Punjab, despite of being a border state, was today the most peaceful state in the country. Mr. Badal reiterated the commitment of the state government to promote peace, communal harmony and amity in Punjab, which was the topmost agenda of the SAD-BJP alliance government. Later on the Chief Minister accompanied by Lok Sabha MP Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal also laid down the foundation stone of sewerage project in Teachers colony. Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Lok Sabha MP Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Sarup Chand Singla, MLA Mr. Darshan Singh, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Kamal Kishore Yadav.