Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday said that the State Government was making persistent efforts with the Centre to bring back the books, rare manuscripts and other artifacts taken away by the Indian Army from Sikh Reference library in Amritsar during the Operation Blue Star. He said, these rare artefacts were of immense historical and religious significance for every Sikh and there have been constant vigorous efforts to bring these valuable back to the State.
The CM made this announcement after attending the seventh death anniversary of mother of State’s Higher Education Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra at his farm house in Rakjra village. The CM said that SAD would vehemently raise these issues with the Centre. He bemoaned that time and again the successive Congress-led Governments at the Centre had done grave injustice to the State by denying its capital, legitimate share in river waters and even the Punjabi speaking areas.
On referring the land Ordinance Bill to joint parliamentary committee, Badal said that Punjab model of land acquisition was the best in the country and it should be replicated at the national level. He said that the clauses of consent, adequate compensation and rehabilitation of the farmers were must so as to devise any pro-farmer land acquisition bill.
“A farmer loves his land far more than his child so it should not be taken away in any case without his express consent,” he added. Chief Minister reiterated the state government’s firm commitment to maintain law and order in the state at every cost. “Sporadic incidents of law and order problem are persistent in every state and even the advanced countries like USA are also not aloof from it. However, the state government is making every effort to ensure that law and order is not disturbed in the state,” he said.
On the issue of appointment of Tara Singh as the chief of Management Board at Takht Sri Hazur sahib, he said that it has hurt the Sikh psyche, as every Sikh was against the political interference in their religious affairs. “I have already brought this issue in the knowledge of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devinder Fadnavis…I am confident that issue will be resolved soon,” he added.