Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday underlined the need for equipping the Border Security Force (BSF) and the State Police with the latest weapons and gadgets to combat the cross border terrorism more effectively.
Interacting with the mediapersons on the sidelines of a public gathering after laying the foundation stones of multi level parking and new Municipal Bhawan here, the Chief Minister said that Punjab was a border State due to which it was more prone to attack from across the borders adding that the recent attacks in Dinanagar and Pathankot were a testimony to it.
He said that in such scenario the need of hour was to provide ultra modern gadgets and weapons to the state force and BSF, manning the international border, to check terrorism. “The Government of India must treat Punjab at par with North Eastern States and allocate liberal funds to modernise the State Police,” added Badal.
Asked to comment on Khadoor Sahib bypoll, the Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP alliance was fully ready for this contesting this election. He said that alliance has already announced its candidate for this poll. Badal said that he was confident that people would repose their faith in the pro-people and development oriented of the SAD-BJP alliance in this poll.
Earlier addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister warned the people that some forces inimical to the peace and progress of the state were hell bent upon disturbing its hard earned peace. However, he said that SAD-BJP alliance would not allow these forces to succeed in their nefarious designs. “We are committed to follow the footsteps of our great Sikh gurus to protect peace, communal harmony and brotherhood in the state” added Badal.
Taking on the Congress, the Chief Minister said that it was again trying to bring the troublesome periods back in the state by pursuing its age old policy of ‘divide and rule’. However, he said that wise people of the state were well aware of these tantrums of the Congress and they would not fell prey to the false slogans aimed at disturbing the hard earned peace of the state.
On Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Badal said that it was just a ‘bunch of opportunists and defectors’ who have left one party or another to acquire power adding that when doors of all the parties were closed for them they had now joined AAP. He said that the sole aim of these people was just to vest political power in the state. “These defectors, who have been rejected by people time and again, have been frequently changing sides to suit their interests and they are least bothered about the state or its people”, added Badal.
Earlier in his address, State BJP Chief Kamal Sharma exhorted the people to vote for SAD-BJP alliance which was the only custodian of peace, communal harmony and development in the state. He said that the SAD-BJP alliance had dedicated the current year to development of the state and all the major towns of state would witness complete facelift in coming months.