Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to constitute a high-level committee comprising agriculture experts, prominent farmer leaders and economists to suggest ways and means for making agriculture a profitable venture.
He said that the committee should be asked to submit its recommendations within three months regarding how to eradicate poverty and make noble profession of agriculture profitable.
“I think this will be the most befitting tribute to lok Nayak on this day which will help in fulfilling his vision in true sense,” said Badal while addressing the gathering during ‘loktantra Prahari Abhinandan’, a programme organised to commemorate 113th birth anniversary of lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan after paying floral tributes to him at Vigyan Bhawan.
Badal described Jayaprakash Narayan as a true votary of farmers and rural populace. “lok Nayak was particularly of the view that India could not progress till development takes place in villages. However, today farmers who ensured food security to the nation are facing great economic crisis,” said Badal.
The Chief Minister said that JP’s dream could never be fulfilled if the farmers of the country continue to reel under prevailing agrarian crisis. Paying homage to JP Narayan, Badal recalled his stellar role in the national freedom struggle. He said that lok Nayak was a great freedom fighter, a true Patriot, an eminent scholar, social reformer, savior of democracy and a real statesman.
“I always considered lok Nayak Jaya Parkash Narayan and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as my role models in public life,” he added.
Badal said that JP gave a call of ‘total revolution’ which electrified the entire country. “The call of total revolution received huge response and massive support from Shiromani Akali Dal and the biggest rally organised during this struggle was at ludhiana, which was attended by lok Nayak. This movement became biggest threat to Indira Gandhi after which she imposed emergency to suppress that democratic movement,” he said.
Recalling the black days of emergency, the Chief Minister said that all fundamental rights were abolished and entire political leadership opposed to emergency was thrown behind bars. Badal said that Akali Dal was approached by Indira Gandhi for not opposing emergency and promised to rule over Punjab forever.
However, the Chief Minister said that Akali Dal followed the footsteps of great Sikh Gurus who had taught them to fight against oppression, injustice and tyranny. “All Akali leaders were jailed for opposing Emergency but then also the Morcha continued till emergency was lifted…It is SAD’s greatest contribution for saving and guarding democracy in India besides upholding the freedom of press,” added Badal.
The Chief Minister said that after emergency was lifted JP played a proactive role to bring all parties together to form Janata Party which formed the first ever non-Congress Government at the Centre.