Issru (Ludhiana): Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today dared the Congress led UPA government at the centre to desist from meddling in the social, political, economic and religious affairs of the state.
Addressing an impressive gathering during the state level function to mark the observance of martyrdom day of great revolutionary Shaheed Karnail Singh Issru, who laid down his life during the liberation of Goa from Portuguese regime here today at his native village, the Chief Minister said that we the Punjabis inherited the spirit of sacrifice from the great Sikh Gurus especially Sri Guru Arjun Dev and Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji who made supreme sacrifice against the tyranny unleashed by the Mughals, for the sake of humanity and righteousness (Dharma). Likewise he said that the tenth master of Sikhs, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji epitomized the concept of self sacrifice by sacrificing his entire family for the mankind. Mr. Badal said that this legacy of self sacrifice perpetuated from one generation to other and was one of the major factors reflective of Punjab’s enormous contribution in the national freedom struggle.
The Chief Minister said that it was on record that Punjabis despite having two percent of country’s total population had made huge sacrifices in terms of life imprisonment, capital punishment and even exile in captivity (Kalepaani). He said that several watershed movements associated with the Indian freedom struggle were spearheaded from Punjab by the valiant patriots and freedom fighters. Mr. Badal said that the enormous contribution of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Lala Rajpat Rai and several others would continue to inspire our younger generations to imbibe the spirit of patriotism amongst them.
Taking Congress to cudgels, the Chief Minister said that the Congress has always tried to exploit the peaceful atmosphere in Punjab in one way or the other. Citing few instances of Congress leadership’s high handedness in divesting the state from its legitimate share in river waters, capital, Punjabi speaking areas and even going to an extent of unpardonable act of attacking Sri Harmandir Sahib, Mr. Badal said that Congress further rubbed salt into the wounds of the Sikhs thereby tormenting their psyche by shielding the perpetrators of 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He categorically asked the Congress to understand clearly that Sikhs won’t tolerate such type of interference in their day-to-day affairs anymore.
Silencing the state Congress leadership for making unwarranted hype over the central grants for state government projects and schemes, the Chief Minister said that the Government of India (GoI) was not doling out anything special or extraordinary rather it was our right from the huge amount collected by it on account of Income Tax and Central Excise. He clarified that out of 70% Centre merely repaid about 30% which was nothing but a sheer exploitation of states at the hands of centre. Mr. Badal reminded the distressed peasantry of the state saying, “Had we not come to your rescue by subsidizing your agriculture power bills to the tune of Rs 5000 crore per annum and other subsidies in terms of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, for God forbidden you would had been completely vanished”. At the same time he said’ “We had not done any favor to you rather it was obligatory on our part to bail you out in this hour of crisis due to dwindling profits in wake of ever escalating cost of farm inputs”.
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