YATRAS OF HAZAARE AND ADVANI TO BE WELCOMED IN THE STATE
OPEN TO POSSIBILITY OF ALLINACES WITH LIKE MINDED PARTIES FOR DEFEATING CONGRESS
Mehna (Moga)- Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today asked the Central Congress leadership to welcome the crusade of social activist Mr Anna Hazaare against corruption, rather than opposing it.
Talking to the media persons on the sidelines of the Sangat Darshan programme of Dharamkot assembly segment held here today, the Chief Minister made a scathing attack on the Congress by asserting that on the one hand its state President Captain Amrinder Singh was welcoming the movement of Mr Hazare and on the other hand the Central leadership of the party was busy in criticising him. He said that Mr Hazare was a nice person and was fighting for a noble cause, so all the political leaders including Congress President Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh should solidly rally behind him and welcome his initiatives. Mr Badal said that corruption has made deep roads in the whole system and the need of the hour is that it must be weeded out through such movements.
However he said that due to their own vested interests the Congress leaders are never going to acknowledge the excellent work being done by people like Mr Anna Hazare. Reiterating the stand of the SAD-BJP alliance against corruption Mr Badal said that their government would welcome all such yatras in the state, including that of Mr Anna Hazare and Former Deputy Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader Mr LK Advani, which aims towards removing the corruption for the welfare of common man.
Training his guns against the former Chief Minister and State Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh, Mr Badal said that he was habitual of issuing irresponsible statements against SAD-BJP government adding that he is largely confined to issuing such activities and is least bothered about the welfare of the state and its people. Moreover he said that the statements of the Congress leaders depict the frustration amongst them due to the spectacular victory of SAD in the recently concluded elections of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), in which the Congress had supported the anti SAD front in clandestine manner.
Replying a query regarding the possibility of alliance with some other party in the coming assembly elections the Chief Minister said that they were open to all such possibilities for giving a crushing defeat to the Congress. However he reiterated that alliance between SAD-BJP was firm and any further alliance would took a concrete form after the consent of both parties.
Talking about Peona Thermal Plant at village Gobindpura in Mansa district, Mr Badal said that state government had not done any forcible acquisition of land for the thermal plant adding that the land has been acquired with the consent of the farmers. He asserted that the Thermal plant was the need of the state and the issue has been unnecessarily politicised by some organisations that are not interested in the development of the state and have their own vested interests behind it. The Chief Minister said that farmers of the region are very well aware about the importance of the project due to which 93% of the farmers have taken the compensation of the acquired land. Mr Badal also said that they have already offered to leave such land where the farmers have not given their consent for acquisition for the thermal plant. “If the farmers of the village Gobindpura are ready for giving their land than why are the farmer organisations making hue and cry on the issue” he added.
Replying a query Mr Badal said that the SAD-BJP government of the state has accepted more than 90% of the demands of the employees including the hike in the wages of the employees in accordance with the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission. He also said that a wide scale recruitment drive has been initiated by them for providing recruitment to more than 1 lakh unemployed youth during which a transparent method has been evolved to recruit the meritorious youth in various government departments.
Earlier the Chief Minister disbursed a grant of Rs 3.25 crores for the development of 79 villages falling in Dharamkot assembly segment. Similarly Mr Badal also laid the foundation stone of 66 KV Sub Stations to be constructed at villages Fatehgarh Korotaana and Kot Mohammed Khan by the POWERCOM at the cost of Rs 3.50 crores each. These Sub Stations are expected to benefit 20 feeders and 2000 tube wells of the area.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Lok Sabha MP from Faridkot Bibi Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr Sheetal Singh, Former Minister Jathedar Tota Singh, District Planning Board Chairman Mr Tarsem Singh Rattian, Chairman Zila Parishad Mr Gubax Singh Kapure and Youth Akali leader Mr Barjinder Singh Brar.
