Slamming the Shiromani Akali Dal for its "Punjab Bachao Yatra" which he termed a "political gimmick", Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday said that real name of yatra must be ‘Akali Dal ton Punjab Bacha Lo Yatra’ as Akalis have mercilessly ruining the state during their 15 years old misrule.

In a statement issued here, the Chief Minister said that for 15 years Akalis have plundered the state mercilessly besides bruising the psyche of Punjabis emotionally. He said that owing to this only the oldest political party of the state is today in dire straits and after ruling the state for the longest period they have been confined to three seats today. He said that people are well aware of the dubious character of the Akalis and Badal family due to which their theatricals won’t work now.

Mann reminded the Akalis that Punjab had lagged behind in every sphere during their long misrule. He said that apart from it Akalis can’t be absolved from the sins like desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and patronization of gangsters and drug mafia. He said that people won’t ever forget that when the entire Punjab had stood against the draconian farm laws at that time Akalis had shamelessly stood with the BJP led Union government for their vested political interests.

 The Chief Minister said that the list of anti-Punjab stance of Akali Dal in general and Badal family is too long so the need of hour is to further send them into political oblivion. He dared the Akalis to list even a single achievement of their government during their long stint in power. Mann quipped that even the two MPs of Akali Dal viz Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal have never bothered to raise any issue pertaining to interests of the state or its people in the Lok Sabha.

He said that the proposed yatra is nothing more than an exercise to mislead the people and score brownie points before the media. However, he said that the people of state are well aware of the anti-Punjab and anti-people character of Akalis and they will never forgive them. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that people of the state will never forget and forgive Akalis for sinister moves against Punjab.

On Wednesday, a decision to hold "Punjab Bachao Yatra" was taken at a meeting of the SAD's core committee, which was presided over by party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. The SAD's core committee decided to hold the yatra from February 1 to expose the AAP government, which betrayed all sections of people, including the farmers, the weaker sections, trade and industry, youngsters and government employees, party said. Sukhbir Badal will lead the yatra and cover all 117 assembly constituencies, spending two days in each constituency, the SAD said.

Punjab Govt lifts ban, Clears path for annual equine activities at Maghi Mela

PNS/Chandigarh

In a much-anticipated move bringing relief to horse owners and breeders, Punjab Government has given the green light for the annual equine activities scheduled to take place from January 9 to 16 at Sri Muktsar Sahib during the upcoming Maghi Mela.

The decision comes after a significant hurdle posed by the ban on equids’ movements and activities, imposed in May 2023 due to the spread of the contagious and zoonotic Glanders disease. The Government had been adhering to the guidelines laid out in the National Action Plan for Glanders by the Government of India.

The Maghi Mela, an important annual religious and cultural festival, draws participants and visitors from various parts of the region, making it a crucial event for the equine community. With the ban lifted, the horse enthusiasts are now gearing up for a week-long celebration of equine activities, showcasing the rich heritage and cultural significance of horses in Punjab.

Sharing details, the state Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Thursday said that there were reports of the spread of glanders disease among horses from districts, including Amritsar, Bathinda, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur, and the State Government had put a ban on holding equine movements and activities.

“Following zero positive cases of Glanders during the surveillance in districts Amritsar, Bathinda and Ludhiana, the State Government has decided to lift the ban, allowing horse owners to participate during Maghi Mela,” he said, adding that, however, horse owners from Hoshiarpur cannot participate in this fair as testing is still going on there.

Khudian said that interested horse owners will have to ensure a negative report of Glanders Testing of all the participating equids either from Northern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (NRDDL), Jalandhar, or from National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE), Hisar, or from a state-approved Diagnostic Labs and that should be not more than 30 days prior to the day of the event.

All the owners of the participating equids will have to carry an “undertaking” duly verified by the concerned Animal Husbandry, Deputy Director, of the participating district, he said, adding that the submitted undertaking will be checked by the team of NRDDL, Jalandhar and Screening Committee, before the entry of equids to the mela sites.