*CM LAYS DOWN THE FOUNDATION STONE OF ADVANCE CANCER DIAGNOSTIC, TREATMENT AND RESEARCH CENTER
*DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER TERMS IT AS A HISTORIC DAY
*BAFFLED BY THE UNPARALLELED DEVELOPMENTAL WORKS IN PUNJAB, CONGRESS LEADERS ARE HINDERING DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS IN THE STATE- DEPUTY CM
Bathinda – Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today said that senior state Congress leadership should refrain from dissuading Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to visit Punjab. He however, said that Dr. Singh was at the helm of affairs as Prime Minister of the country and therefore, his jurisdiction was not merely restricted to any political party but was much beyond that encompassing the entire nation in his official capacity.
Talking to the media person after laying down the foundation stone of Advanced Cancer Diagnostic, Treatment and Research Center here today, Mr Badal said that it was very unfortunate that the Congress leaders of state led by PPCC President Captain Amarinder Singh were resorting to cheap tactics to prevent the Prime Minister for coming to state for inaugurating the ambitious projects like Khalsa Heritage Complex at Anandpur Sahib and laying the foundation stone of terminal at Mohali International Airport. Flanked by Deputy Chief Minister Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal and Lok Sabha MP from Bathinda Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Chief Minister said that these leaders were virtually bamboozled by the spectacular development in the state during SAD-BJP regime therefore, they were indulging in such cheap tactics to mount pressure on Dr. Singh to abandon his proposed visit to Punjab. He further said that it was ironical that the SAD was extending red carpet welcome to the Prime Minister in the state whereas his own party leaders were opposing it tooth and nail, which clearly reflected the brewing frustration amongst the Congress leadership in the wake of coming assembly elections as it was bereft of any political agenda.
Mr. Badal further said that he had personally invited Dr. Singh to honour him as the Prime Minister on these prestigious events and there was no political motive behind it. He however said that it was disappointing that the Congress leaders were unnecessarily extracting political mileage out of this issue but expressed hope that the Prime Minister would not be swayed away by such moves of the state Congress leaders and he would certainly visit Punjab to inaugurate these projects.
The Chief Minister said the Congress leadership of the state was creating hindrances in the development of the state for which the people of state would never forgive them. Mr Badal said that the state Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh had already got a loan of Rs 700 crore meant for developing the urban areas stopped, by writing a letter to the HUDCO for opposing it. “We were not seeking any favour from the agency but it was their duty to sanction loas for the development of the urban sector. But now it is crystal clear that HUDCO is functioning under the pressure of Congress Leaders” he added.
Making a scathing attack on the Congress led UPA at the center for adopting a policy of discrimination against the state, Mr Badal said that the Union government was deliberately enacting such policies through which the agriculture, industry and the infra structure of the state is ruined. “In a planned manner such policies are framed by the Union government in which Punjab remains exempted from its benefits” he added.
Earlier addressing the gathering at the venue the Chief Minister said that today was a Golden day in the history of state as it was making a leap forward for tackling one of the major menace faced by it in the form of Cancer. He said that the institute that would be having “state of art” facilities would be constructed at the cost of Rs 70 crore and would be the only of its kind in whole of the Northern India. Mr Badal said that the institute would provide a big relief to the people from this fatal disease, which has already taken a huge toll of life in the state. “We felt ashamed when deaths used to take place due to cancer but it is unfortunate that none of the other previous government had bothered about it” he added.
Likewise in his address the Deputy Chief Minister Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal also said that it was a historic day as foundation stone for saving the precious lives of the people had been laid. He said that the irony of the fate was that this fatal disease had spread in almost whole of the Malwa region so much so that even a train was named by people as Cancer express, because the patients used to travel to Bikaner from here to get treated in absence of proper medical health care. However the Deputy Chief Minister said that after forming the government in the state they had vowed to eradicate this ailment from the state due to which only they had focused their attention towards setting up the institute for treatment of the cancer. He also said that they have ensured that RO water is supplied in the houses of the area so that the spreading of this disease could be checked and the precious lives of the people is saved. “We are aware of the agony faced by the common people of the area so we are determined to provide them quality health care with such endeavors’ he added.
Training his guns against the Congress, the Deputy Chief Minister said that baffled by the unparalleled developmental works in Punjab, the entire leadership of the state Congress led by Captain Amarinder Singh are now resorting to cheap tactics of hindering the developmental process in the state. He said that infact the state Congress has already conceded their defeat in the coming assembly elections due to which now they are running away from the electoral in one way or other. “The Congress leaders are ungrateful not only to the people of Punjab but to their own leaders also due to which only instead of thanking the Prime Minister for giving grants to state they are opposing his entry into it” he added.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Mr Karan Avtar Singh, Secretary Medical Education Mrs Anjali Bhanwra, Former Punjab Minister Mr Sikander Singh Malooka, Akali Leader Mr Sarup Chand Singla and Mr. Amarjit Singh Sidhu, Vice Chancellor Baba Farid Medical University of Health and Sciences Dr SS Gill and Director Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences Dr KD Singh.
