Batting for more powers to the States to ensure progress of the country and prosperity of its people, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday said that the genuine federal structure was the panacea for all ills confronted by the country.
While talking to the media on the sidelines of the first day of Sangat Darshan in Attari Assembly segment here, the Chief Minister reiterated that the we need to give more power to the States to ensure comprehensive development of the country besides checking the growing trend of regional imbalance.
He said that as a matter of fact only the State Governments were accountable to the people for every work but unfortunately all the powers regarding the formulation and execution of the policies was vested by the Union Government, which was hampering the overall development of the country.
Badal added that in such a scenario the only ray of hope for the country and its people was the implementation of genuine federal structure in the country, as enshrined in our constitution.
When asked to comment on the issue of blacklist of Indian Nationals, many of whom were Punjabis, maintained by the Government of India (GoI), the Chief Minister said that he has already urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Ministry of Home Affairs to evolve a mechanism for regular review of all such cases from time to time.
He said that the GoI has already been requested to remove the names of persons from list against whom there were no cases or legal proceedings pending against them.
Badal said that if needed he would personally pursue this matter again with the Prime Minister in the coming days.
The Chief Minister said that he would also take up the issue of Sikh prisoners languishing in the jails of other states even after the completion of their sentence, with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On another query, the Chief Minister said that after assuming the power, the BJP led NDA Government at Centre was in the process of framing the policies for development of the States, after which Punjab would get its due share in the central grants.
Badal categorically said that Punjab would be immensely benefitted from the NDA Government at the Centre.
Replying to another question regarding the Punjabis trapped in the strife torn Iraq, the Chief Minister said that he had raised this issue with the Ministry of External Affairs and even with the Special envoy of India in Iraq, to ensure the safe and prompt release of these sons of the soil.
On his party’s alliance with INlD in Haryana, the Chief Minister said that the sole motive of Shiromani Akali Dal’s tie-up with Indian National lok Dal in ensuing Haryana assembly polls was to defeat the Congress party. He said that this would not have any bearing on age old ties of SAD-BJP as both the alliance partners were committed for routing the Congress party out of power from Haryana.
Badal added that the BJP leadership was well aware of the fact that the SAD-BJP alliance was firm across the country but Haryana was an exception to it.