CM welcomes reopening of case against Tytler

By Punjabnewswire4u

KAULI (PATIALA), APRIL 11

          Welcoming the decision of a Delhi Court to reopen case against senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler for inciting the mob during anti-Sikh riots of 1984, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that at last a ray of hope has rekindled amongst the Sikhs in general and aggrieved families of the riot victims in particular, for getting justice.   

          Talking to the media persons after attending a function to mark the death anniversary of former Akali MLA Jathedar Jasdev Singh Sandhu here today, the Chief Minister said that it was unfortunate that even after passing of more than 30 years justice alluded to the victims of these riots which were led by senior Congress leaders. He said, “It is ridiculous that the national Congress leadership instead of punishing the guilty responsible for this inhuman and barbaric act was shielding them for reasons best known to it”. Mr Badal rued that the Congress at the helms of affairs had deliberately derailed the dispensation of justice to the victims of this holocaust and rubbed salt into their wounds by rewarding the guilty with coveted posts. He said that the Congress has always meted out a step motherly treatment with the state by adopting different yardsticks for Punjabis.

The Chief Minister said that it was the height of apathy that the Union government has always hurt the sentiments of the Punjabis in general and that of Sikhs in particular by irrelevantly meddling in their social, economic, political and even religious issues. Assailing the Congress led UPA government for its anti-Punjab stance, Mr Badal said that due to the wrong policies of the Union government the farmers of the state who had played a pivotal role in making the country self reliant in food production was on the verge of economic disaster adding that due to its adverse policies even the industry of the state has also been ruined.

          Replying to another query, the Chief Minister categorically said that the decision to hike the rates of power in the state was taken by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission and the state government had hardly any role in it as the Commission was an autonomous body constituted under the act of the Parliament. However he said that the hike might have been necessitated due to the high expenditure being meted out to supply the power by the POWERCOM. Mr Badal pointed out that the hike in Punjab has been 9.06% whereas in Haryana the hike has been that of around 12%.

          Terming the Goa Vichar Sammellan as an internal matter of the party, the Chief Minister said that almost every party of the country frequently does such exercise to ensure flow of new ideas and overcome their weaknesses. He said that the sammellan had been very fruitful as it provided them with an occasion to introspect the working of their government and ministers.

          Paying floral tributes to Jathedar Jasdev Singh Sandhu the Chief Minister described him as the lighthouse of the Akali Dal and an encyclopedia of the Panthic issues. He said that Sandhu had throughout his life championed the cause of the weaker sections of the society adding that he had played a pivotal role in the spread of education in the area. Mr Badal also lauded the contribution of Sandhu family in serving the people of the state with full dedication and commitment.

          Exhorting the spiritual leaders across the state to play a proactive role for promoting education and curbing the menace of drugs besides other social maladies in the state, the Chief Minister said that it was the need of the hour that the ‘Sant Samaj’ and the spiritual leaders should make all out efforts for preaching the tenets of Sikhism, which could play a pivotal role in curbing social evils that had plagued the society. He said that the state government would extend all support and co-operation to the spiritual leaders in this noble cause. Mr Badal also impressed upon the people to follow footsteps of our great Gurus who preached us to serve the mankind with utmost dedication and devotion.  

Dwelling on the need to impart quality education to the students of the state, the Chief Minister said that the state government was committed for this holy cause for which 10 new colleges would be set up in the state. He said efforts were afoot to revamp to entire education system in the state to impart quality education to the youth so that they could be gainfully employed adding he said that nine new universities and 17 new colleges have been opened across the state. Mr Badal further said that due to the concerted efforts of the state government Punjab today leads the country in field of education.

          Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Mr Surjit Singh Rakhra, Rajya Sabha MP Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Akali leader Mr Tejinder Singh Sandhu and Mrs Anoopinder Kaur Sandhu, Baba Lakha Singh Ji (Nanaksar Kaleran) and Chief of Sant Samaj Baba Harnam Singh Ji Khalsa.