Calling for taking corrective steps to stop radicalisation amongst the youth, SAD’s Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday said that the border state of Punjab was being thrown into turmoil with communal clashes taking place in the state for the first time ever even as acts of terror and high-profile killings had made its people insecure.
Harsimrat, speaking at the all-party meeting in the Parliament, said that it was a cause of concern that besides communal clashes, which had not occurred in the State even during the period of militancy or the 1984 genocide of Sikhs in Delhi, terror attacks like targeting of the State Intelligence headquarter in Mohali with a rocket launcher and the killing of renowned singer Sidhu Moosewala with AK-74s were occurring in Punjab.
“Alongside this, Punjabis are feeling alienated due to steps like assurance given to Haryana by the Central Government that it would be allotted land in Chandigarh for a separate Vidhan Sabha,” she added.
Asserting that Punjabis considered Chandigarh to be their capital and had been assured successively that it would be made their capital, Bathinda MP said that such steps, like earmarking land to Haryana, was leading to discontentment. She also castigated the Punjab Government for failing to protect Punjab’s right over Chandigarh by meekly surrendering the claim.
“Besides this, recent steps like banning of Sidhu Moosewala’s ‘SYL’ song and Kanwar Grewal’s ‘Rihai’ song had increased this feeling of alienation. “Both songs call for protecting the State’s river waters and release of Sikh detenues, respectively, and reflect the sentiments of Punjabis. Banning such songs is counterproductive and the ban should be revoked,” she demanded.
Bathinda MP also listed other steps which were alienating Punjabis including the proposal to convert Panjab University into a Central varsity as well as creation of UT cadre in Chandigarh, implementation of central pay scales, and dilution of the status of Punjabi language.
Asserting that atmosphere was being vitiated in Punjab with irresponsible utterances, former Union Minister said that a case in point was the claim by newly-elected Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann that Shaheed Bhagat Singh was a terrorist. She also gave the instance of the desecration of a statue of Mahatama Gandhi in Bathinda in this regard.
Talking about Kisan Andolan and the promise made to farmers that Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all food crops would be guaranteed by law had not been fulfilled yet.
“SAD wanted to raise all these issues in the Parliament but being a small party, it was not sure if it would get the required time and advocated that sufficient time should be given to small parties who constituted 30 percent of the strength of the Parliament to raise their issues,” she said.
Chd Cong protest against inflation
Chandigarh: Labour Colony Cell of Chandigarh Congress on Sunday organised a massive protest march in Mauli Jagran, where thousands of local residents participated, despite inclement weather, to protest against the stifling inflation unleashed on the nation by an anti-people Modi Government. Hundreds of agitated women from Mauli Jagran banged empty utensil during the march to convey it to the government that it has become difficult to run a kitchen in a poor and lower middle class family because of sheer mishandling of the economy by them.
Regular liver transplant OPD starts at Max
Mohali: A regular liver transplant OPD was launched at Max Hospital, Mohali, on Sunday. The hospital is also going to establish a comprehensive liver care unit which will cater to the patients from HP, Haryana, and J&K. Speaking during launch, Dr Abhideep Chaudhary, senior director of liver transplantation, said that this specialized OPD will also benefit patients with hepato, pancreatico, and biliary (HPB) diseases which refers to any condition that affects the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and the bile ducts.
PU conducted entrance test for five-year law
Chandigarh: Panjab University, Chandigarh, on Sunday conducted the entrance test for admission to BA/BCom LLB (Honours) five-year integrated course on July 17, 2022, (Sunday). The timings of the entrance test were from 10 am to 11.30 am. Total 12 centres were created, six at Panjab University Campus and six at different colleges of Chandigarh. 87.91 percent (3344 out of 3804) candidates appeared in this entrance test. Observers were sent to the centres for routine checking and smooth conduct of the test. The test was conducted satisfactorily and no untoward incident was reported.
Rotary Club-Mohali gets new president
Chandigarh: Ravijeet Singh has taken over as the new president of Rotary Club Mohali at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in an impressive installation ceremony of his Board. Taking over as new head, Rotarian Ravijeet Singh underlined the future vision of the organisation as overarching responsibility to ensure holistic social development. Each section of society must get equal focus, support, and assistance wherever needed through policy approach, he said adding that Rotary as one family would always be up to the task.