Terming the SAD-BJP alliance as firm and everlasting, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday said that overall development and progress of the State would get a major fillip with the formation of NDA Government at the Centre.
Addressing the gathering during a State-level function to mark 30th death anniversary of Sant Harchand Singh longowal, Badal vowed to make Punjab a leading State of the country with the proactive help of the NDA Government.
“Within a year of the formation of the NDA Government at the Centre, the State has been immensely benefited from it. The State has got key projects like AIIMS, Post-Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and HRIDAY status for holy city of Amritsar,” he said.
Patting Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal for revolutionising State’s power department, Badal said that it was due to Sukhbir’s concerted efforts that Punjab was today, a power surplus State. He also announced that the State Government would soon embark upon a major scheme for providing basic civic amenities in the urban and rural areas of the State.
Badal, squarely blaming Congress for meting out step motherly treatment to the State, said that the State’s industry and agriculture was ruined due to regressive policies of the Congress party during its six-decade-long rule in the country.
Paying rich tributes to longowal, Badal said that the real homage to this great son of soil would be to uphold the hard earned peace, amity, brotherhood and communal harmony in the State. “Though some forces, which are inimical to the progress and development of the State, are trying to fan the feelings of hatred and divisiveness in the State, but the State Government is committed to foil any such attempt by keeping a strict vigil over the entire situation. We will crush the ugly head of all those forces who aspire to derail the progress and development of State,” he added.
Earlier addressing the gathering, Sukhbir recalled the glorious contribution of the party in the pre and post Independence era. He said that Akali Dal, which was the second oldest political party in the country, has always enacted pro-poor welfare schemes to ensure the well being of poor and weaker sections of the society.
Reiterating the commitment of the State Government to ensure well being of all the sections of the society, SAD president Sukhbir said that the government would soon announce a slew of new policies aimed at welfare of the people of the State.
NAQVI SlAMS CONG FOR HATCHING CONSPIRACY TO DEFAME SIKHS
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, slamming the Congress party for hatching conspiracies to defame the Sikhs, said that the same Congress, which had earlier labeled the brave Sikhs as terrorists has now branded them as drug addicts.
“It is very unfortunate that the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has used his entire might to defame the hard working Punjabi youth by terming them as drug addicts. The same Congress, that was responsible for Operation Blue Star and 1984 Sikh riots, is now playing the game of defaming the Punjabis through such tantrums. However, Punjabis would not allow the Congress to succeed in their motives and would give a befitting reply to them,” he said.
Taking a dig at former chief minister and senior Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh, Naqvi said that most of the leaders of Congress Parliamentary Party, comprising of around 40 odd MPs, were not aware of their Deputy leader because he had seldom visited the august House.
“The person who insults the mandate given by the voters by not attending the proceeding of House could never be loyal towards the people of State,” he said. lauding the Punjab Chief Minister, Naqvi described Badal as a “living saint”, who had dedicated his life for welfare of Punjabi.
INTERNATIONAl FlIGHTS FROM MOHAlI AIRPORT TO START ON SEPT 11
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal announced that in a major bonanza for the people of the State, the International Airport at Mohali would also be dedicated to the nation on September 11. “This would be second international airport in the State first Amritsar, which would facilitate the residents of the State by enabling them to travel abroad thereby saving their time, money and energy,” he said.