Asserting that the State Assembly polls would be a fight between pro and anti Punjab forces, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday exhorted the people to support Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for giving crushing defeat to forces inimical to the State.
Addressing a political conference here to mark Rakhar Punia, the Chief Minister said that the Assembly polls would be decisive for State as it would make or mar the future of State as the fight was between SAD and the enemies of State like AAP and Congress.
He said that if pro people force like SAD-BJP alliance was voted to power again then state's development would get a major fillip but God forbid if anti - Punjab forces like Congress and Aam Aadmi Party get a chance then the situation would be worst. “People have to be extra cautious as this time it’s a clear battle and they have to choose between foes and friends of state” added Badal.
Reminding the people about the notorious past of Congress, the Chief Minister the Chief Minister said that Congress has irrelevantly meddled in the social, political, economic and even religious affairs of the state. He further bemoaned that the Congress governments at the Centre had deliberately denied the state of Punjabi speaking areas, its capital Chandigarh and even its legitimate share in river waters.
“How can any true Punjabi forget and forgive Operation Blue Star and the killing of innocents in 1984 anti-Sikh carnage” questioned Badal.
The Chief Minister said that Congress party was the perpetrator of a deep rooted conspiracy to deprive the state of its waters by constructing the Satluj Yamuna link (SYl) canal. He said that Congress government had planned SYl to rob the waters of state, Congress Prime Minister had performed its ground breaking ceremony and the then state Congress government had approved it but on the contrary Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had opposed it tooth and nail. “Congress leaders are now ‘shedding crocodile tears on issue while forgetting that incumbent state Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh had welcomed Indira Gandhi to lay foundation of this canal in 1980s”, added Badal.
likewise, the Chief Minister said that AAP was nothing more than a band of ‘gossip mongers’, which was good for nothing. He said that the AAP leadership was promising moon to everyone but in reality they have proved that they could not deliver anything. Mr. Badal urged the people not to get swayed away by the malicious propaganda of such people, who were anti - Punjab from core of their heart.
listing the major initiatives taken by the state government, the Chief Minister said that the alliance government has supplied free power to the farmers of the state at a cost of Rs 50000 crore in last ten years to bail them out from agrarian crisis. He further said that under various pro-poor and pro-people social security schemes the alliance government has decided to double the pensions given to people.
The Chief Minister said that in another major decision aimed at ensuring the well being of the government employees, the state government was mulling to regularize the services of contractual employees in various departments. He said that a decision to this effect would be taken very soon. In his address Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said that there was a massive wave in the support of SAD-BJP alliance. He said that both Congress and AAP would be swept in tsunami of alliance, which was all set to form government in the state for third consecutive term. He said that that the impressive gathering in this congregation was a proof that people were solidly behind the alliance.
Coming down heavily on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the AAP supremo wants to attain power in state just to settle score with Union government. He said that if AAP was voted to power then there would be a direct clash between state and centre government, which would not suit interests of state.
Making a scathing attack on state Congress Chief Captain Amarinder Singh, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the lok Sabha MP from Amritsar had been utterly disappointed in wake of massive response of people to alliance. He said that disheartened by this Captain has already left the field and was ready to flee from political battlefield.
The Deputy Chief Minister also announced that state government would soon open 2000 medical stores across the state to disburse free medicines to people. likewise, he also announced that Skill centres would be set up in every block of the state to provide free technical education to them thereby enabling them to be gainfully self employed. In the same manner, he said that In order to provide smooth and hassle free administrative services to people at their doorsteps a network of Rural Sewa Kendras would be dedicated to the people very soon.
Addressing the gathering Revenue, information and Public Relations Minister, Bikram Singh Majithia slammed both Congress and AAP for their anti Punjab and anti - Sikh mindset. He said that while Congress has tormented the Sikh psyche by attacking our religious shrines, the AAP too was following the footsteps of Congress.
Majithia said that the massive response to rally by youth has proved the youngsters were solidly behind SAD-BJP alliance and they would steer the alliance to victory. He said that it was a writing on wall that with unflinching support of youth alliance would form government in the state for third consecutive term.
lok Sabha MP Jathedar Ranjeet Singh Brahmpura, Cabinet Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Shwet Malik and others