Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday categorically said that neither Punjab nor Punjabis would accept any verdict against state’s interest on river waters and were ever ready to make any sacrifice to safeguard the legitimate share of river waters.
Addressing a public gathering on the occasion of 50th year of Punjabi Suba celebrations, the Chief Minister said that the successive Congress governments at the centre have subjected Punjab and its people to sheer exploitation by denying its rightful share in river waters.
Seeking the personal attention of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP President Amit Shah who were present in the function, Badal categorically stated that now the people were making sarcastic remarks for not getting these territorial issues resolved through the intervention of NDA government at the centre, in which Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was an ally.
He said that the inter-state issues including denial of capital to Punjab, transfer of Punjabi speaking areas and resolving river water issues within the ambit internationally accepted Riperian Principle were hanging in fire since long due to apathetic attitude of the Congress governments at centre.
However, the Chief Minister said that with the installation of NDA government at centre the Punjabis have atleast seen a light at the end of the tunnel and were eagerly awaiting resolution of these issues on the top priority.
Badal urged both the national leaders to deliver prompt justice rather than making any favor to us, without any further delay. He said that the Congress leadership was well known for betrayal with Punjab since the times of Pandit Jawahar lal Nehru, who had promised to create Punjabi Suba on linguistic lines on which they later backtracked. Paying homage to the great heroes who made unique sacrifices for the formation of Punjabi suba, Badal said that every Punjabi was indebted to these sons of soil who made this distant dream a reality. He said that it was on record that nearly 59000 people were imprisoned and 43 attained martyrdom during this struggle.
Taking the Congress party to cudgels, the Chief Minister said that the Punjabis could never forgive the Congress party for its sins against Punjab. He bemoaned that the Congress governments at the centre had deliberately denied the state of Punjabi speaking areas, its capital Chandigarh and even its legitimate share in river waters. “How can any true Punjabi forget and forgive Operation Blue Star and the killing of innocents in 1984 anti-Sikh carnage” questioned Badal.
The Chief Minister reminded the people about development in the state during the current tenure of SAD-BJP regime which entirely focused on development adding that with your unstinted support and cooperation if our alliance was again voted to power it would dedicate the next regime towards the economic prosperity of every section of society be it farmer, labour or entrepreneur thereby enhancing their income manifold.
Badal described the SAD-BJP alliance as a everlasting and firm because it was based on principles not meant for power sharing and said that it would last till eternity.
In his address, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that this was a joyous occasion for every Punjabi across the globe when the state was commemorating its golden jubilee since its formation on November 1, 1966. He said that there were few instances when alliance partners were in power both in state and centre because such relationships witnessed unparallel development due to synergy between both the governments. Jaitley said that the rule of alliance in state was far better than that of the previous Congress regimes.
Jaitley said that terrorism in state was an outcome of wrong doings of the then Congress government, which tormented the state beyond anyone’s imagination. The Union Minister said that whenever history would be written 1984 would be remembered as ‘year of destruction’ and current era would be best remembered as ‘year of reconstruction’ by one and all. He said that slur of 1984 Sikh Carnage, frequent dismissal of democratically elected governments, menace of terrorism and several other misdeeds by the Congress spoke volumes of its dubious character.
BJP President Amit Shah said that the credit of firm and everlasting alliance between SAD-BJP was due to vision of the Chief Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said towering personality of Badal earned respect from every one irrespective of political affiliations. He said country was in process of radical transformation, which was reflective from the fact of new schemes being unveiled by the NDA government from time to time.
President of Shiromani Akali Dal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said that though every Punjabi was elated on this occasion but they were also peeved as the perpetrators of anti-Sikh Carnage that took place on this day were still scot free.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the state government would soon set up network of 2500 shops for providing free medicines to people. likewise, he said that massive steps have been taken to perpetuate the glorious heritage of state by constructing several memorials.