By Punjabnewswire4u
ISSRU (LUDHIANA),
AUGUST 15
The
Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, today dared the Congress led
UPA government at the centre to desist from meddling in the social, political,
economic and religious affairs of the state.
Addressing an impressive gathering during the state level function to mark the
observance of martyrdom day of great revolutionary Shaheed Karnail Singh Issru,
who laid down his life during the liberation of Goa from Portuguese regime here
today at his native village, the Chief Minister said that we the Punjabis
inherited the spirit of sacrifice from the great Sikh Gurus especially Sri Guru
Arjun Dev and Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji who made supreme sacrifice against the
tyranny unleashed by the Mughals, for the sake of humanity and righteousness
(Dharma). Likewise he said that the tenth master of Sikhs, Sri Guru Gobind
Singh Ji epitomized the concept of self sacrifice by sacrificing his entire
family for the mankind. Mr. Badal said that this legacy of self sacrifice perpetuated
from one generation to other and was one of the major factors reflective of
Punjab’s enormous contribution in the national freedom struggle.
The Chief Minister said that it was on record that Punjabis despite having two
percent of country’s total population had made huge sacrifices in terms of life
imprisonment, capital punishment and even exile in captivity (Kalepaani). He
said that several watershed movements associated with the Indian freedom struggle
were spearheaded from Punjab by the valiant patriots and freedom fighters. Mr.
Badal said that the enormous contribution of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh,
Kartar Singh Sarabha, Lala Rajpat Rai and several others would continue to
inspire our younger generations to imbibe the spirit of patriotism amongst
them.
Taking Congress to cudgels, the Chief Minister said that the Congress has
always tried to exploit the peaceful atmosphere in Punjab in one way or the
other. Citing few instances of Congress leadership’s high handedness in
divesting the state from its legitimate share in river waters, capital, Punjabi
speaking areas and even going to an extent of unpardonable act of attacking Sri
Harmandir Sahib, Mr. Badal said that Congress further rubbed salt into the
wounds of the Sikhs thereby tormenting their psyche by shielding the
perpetrators of 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He categorically asked the Congress to
understand clearly that Sikhs won’t tolerate such type of interference in their
day-to-day affairs anymore.
Silencing the state Congress leadership for making
unwarranted hype over the central grants for state government projects and
schemes, the Chief Minister said that the Government of India (GoI) was not
doling out anything special or extraordinary rather it was our right from the
huge amount collected by it on account of Income Tax and Central Excise. He
clarified that out of 70% Centre merely repaid about 30% which was nothing but
a sheer exploitation of states at the hands of centre. Mr. Badal reminded the
distressed peasantry of the state saying, “Had we not come to your rescue by
subsidizing your agriculture power bills to the tune of Rs 5000 crore per annum
and other subsidies in terms of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, for God
forbidden you would had been completely vanished”. At the same time he said’
“We had not done any favor to you rather it was obligatory on our part to bail
you out in this hour of crisis due to dwindling profits in wake of ever
escalating cost of farm inputs”.
The Chief Minister said that our government had made
rapid strides in the field of education, healthcare and infra structure as we
are committed to improve the quality of life of the people residing in urban
and rural areas. He reiterated that the state government would continue its
endeavor to ameliorate the lot of underprivileged sections of society by taking
pro-people initiatives as social security to instill a sense of confidence and
trust amongst them. Mr. Badal also announced to double the number of beneficiaries
of Atta- Dal scheme from existing 16 lakh to 32 lakh.
Earlier the Chief Minister paid floral tributes the
statue of Shaheed Karnail Singh Issru in the village. He also honored widow of
Shaheed Issru, Mrs. Charanjeet Kaur on the occasion.
Paying tributes to Shaheed Karnail Singh Issru, the
Revenue, Information and Public Relation Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia
said that the Congress leadership has been fully exposed before the people for
its hypocrisy and now they should be ready to face the music in the forthcoming
Lok Sabha polls as the people had already made up their mind to throw them out
of power. He said the nine and a half years tenure of Congress led UPA
government at centre was nothing but a period of ‘misrule’ and ‘mistrust’ reverberated
with scams and scandals. Mr. Majithia categorically said that the eight
Congress MPs out of 13 from the state never played a constructive role for
getting any project or scheme, sanctioned from centre rather put hurdles in the
way of schemes/ projects got sanctioned by the Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh
Badal.
The Cabinet Minister criticized Union Ministers Mr.
Manish Tiwari and Mrs. Santosh Chaudhary for indulging in mudslinging over the
pro-people schemes and initiatives taken by the state government. He said it
would had been better if Mr. Tiwari had got some package for Ludhiana industry
instead of launching FM Gold Radio station being an MP from there- the
Manchester of India. Likewise Mr. Majithia also expected off Mrs. Chaudhary to
come up with some viable Health project or scheme for the welfare of people of
the state being an MP from Hoshiarpur adding he said such initiatives could
never be expected from Congress leadership as they were self centred and always
kept their vested interest before the service to state.
The Cabinet Minister said the PPCC President Mr. Partap
Singh Bajwa was playing dirty politics thereby sacrificing the interests of
state on regional lines. He blamed Mr. Bajwa for his myopic outlook for the
development of state as he instead of seeking industrial package for the entire
state demanded it only for Majha region, which clearly pointed that he was
least bothered about the development and prosperity of the state rather
crystallizing his efforts to strengthen his vote bank in his region.
Earlier the former MLA Mr. Ranjit Singh Talwandi welcomed
the Chief Minister and highlighted the problems of the region. He demanded for
the upgradation of infra structure in Industrial Focal point and Asia’s largest
Grain Market at Khanna.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion Advisor
to Chief Minister Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, MLAs Mr. Manpreet Singh Aiyali
and Justice Nirmal Singh, former MLAs Mr. Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal, Mr.
Jagjeewan Singh Khirnia, Chairman Punjab State Subordinate Services Selection
Board Jathedar Santa Singh Umedpuri and former MP Mrs. Satwant Kaur Dhaliwal.
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