Punjab roars in Delhi at
Akali Dal's Insaaf Rally
Surging crowds bring Delhi to a stand still as
Rajnath Singh blast Centre
New Delhi, February 26: In words that were clearly not just a
clarion call but a warning to the Centre to wake up from its deep
slumber, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and BJP spearhead
Rajnath Singh today demanded a "complete and total waiver"
of the agricultural loans of the state, an immediate end to the
discrimination against Punjab's industry in the form of incentives
to neighbouring states, give a twin package for farm and industry
for the border state that has repeatedly fended for India and
consistently fed it. The Rally also warned the centre against
interference in the religious affairs of the Sikhs."If the
Centre does not desist from trying to split the Shiromani Gurdwara
Parbhandhak Committee on a state-wise basis, it will have to face
the wrath of the whole Sikh quom," declared the SGPC president
Jathedar Avtar Singh.
The BJP national president Rajnath Singh also struck an emotional
chord when he declared that the Sikhs can never compromise on
their pride and self respect. He demanded a moratorium on interest
on all farm loans and a total waiver of interest on the existing
farm loans. He declared that when the BJP-led NDA assumes power
after the ensuing elections. He said that as a "son of the
soil" he would ensure that the Farm Income Insurance Scheme
was implemented in full, as originally envisaged by the previous
NDA government. He vehemently opposed any "interference in
the internal affairs of the Panth."
The gathering also passed a unanimous resolution demanding "total
tax holiday for trade and industry in the Punjab." The Resolution
also
Addressing the Insaaf Rally in what is widely believed to be
the biggest gathering of Punjabis in living memory , conceived
and organized by Shiromani Akali Dal's youthful new President
and MP Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Chief Minister minced no words
in bringing out the stark contrast in Centre's policies when it
came to tackling the grave farm crisis in Punjab and elsewhere.
That the rally spilled way beyond Delhi's historic Ram Leela Grounds
venue was something which lent an aggressive edge to the just
demands of Punjab.
The roads leading to the rally venue were choke-a-block since
last evening and caught the local administration by surprise,
notwithstanding the many measures it had taken to tackle the expected
sea of humanity. Privately, many Akali Dal and BJP leaders conceded
that the people of the state surprised even them with their enthusiastic
response to the call of the young president of the SAD to display
the full spectrum of Punjabi might in Delhi. "The government
of India recently announced a package of Rs. 15,000 crore for
the beleaguered farmers of Maharashtra. What stops the Centre
from replicating it in Punjab? Is it not true that the previous
Congress regime has left a staggering agricultural debt of Rs
26,000 crore? Then is it not the duty of the Centre to shun its
callous and indifferent attitude towards a state celebrated in
the country for its sacrifices to safeguard the freedom and hard
work to ensure its food security?" Mr. Badal asked, eliciting
a round of cheer and clapping the likes of which Ram Leela Ground
had not heard in years.
The rally suddenly came to life and reached a higher crescendo
when Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal rose to speak. Choosing to enunciate
and elaborate Punjab's demands in a forceful, modernistic and
scientific but earthy idiom, Mr Badal Jr. put across a formula
that was simple and devastating in its logic. The Lok Sabha MP
echoed the best brains in farm studies in the world when he demanded
a direct linking of Minimum Support Price (MSP) with the over
all price index without any further delay, a logic that nor Centre
can beat and no vested interest can call a political game.
Both, the CM as well as the SAD President, had come armed to
the teeth with cold facts, hard hitting empirical data and sound
economic logic. They underlined the state of the crisis quoting
a national survey which pegged the per farming family debt in
Punjab at Rs. 41,000, the highest in the country.
"Had the Congress been serious or even alive to the problem,
the farming community would not have been pushed so deep into
the vicious cycle of debt trap," Mr. Badal said. His words
and logic were enough to explain why Congressmen in Punjab had
not picked up the Akali Dal's gauntlet to join the rally if they
really cared about the state and its peasantry.
The four-time Chief Minister who himself hails from a farming
family and is known for his understanding of the nuances of farm
economy, said that with a stagnant MSP, a negative approach of
the Centre and ever rising input prices, agriculture was no more
a profitable occupation but the Centre was just not prepared to
shun its old ways. Quoting an authority as established as Dr.
M.S. Swaminathan, Mr. Badal said a rule of the thumb formula was
that the MSP should be equal to the cost of production plus 50%.
He said that Punjab had been bleeding itself to keep the blood
in national arteries flowing, exhausting in the process its natural
resources like ground water and soil texture, but earned merely
poverty, humiliation and depression, watching its farmers ending
their lives and the Centre remaining apathetic.
Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, who has spent the past few weeks meticulously
planning and executing the rally to its finest details, succeeded
in bringing the state's issues into the national lime light, that
too right in the national capital.
Taking up the cause of the beleaguered industrialists of the
state, the SAD President pointed out that the indifferent attitude
of Centre had forced the domestic industry to shift its base from
Punjab to the neighbouring hill states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand
and J&K "which lured our industry using the temptations
of better incentives and concessions, all provided by none other
than the Govt of India."
Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal left no one in doubt when he said that
the one big purpose of today's massive 'Insaaf Rally' was to mount
pressure on the Centre to immediately announce the much needed
package on twin fronts of agriculture and industry, both of which
were on the brink of a disaster.
The SAD President, clearly aware of the other crucial area necessary
to shore up development plans, also unveiled his vision for turning
Punjab from a power-deficit to a power-surplus state within the
next three-and-a-half years. He announced that three new thermal
plants at Rajpura, Talwandi Sabo and Baluana were being set up
and the day was not far when Punjab would be selling surplus power
to other states. Incidentally, it is a matter of record that the
previous Congress regime did not add even a single unit to Punjab's
power generation.
The SAD president who took over the party's reins less than a
month ago, triggering a new wave a enthusiasm in rank and file,
turned the focus on another crucial domain when he said that rural
education in Punjab was being accorded top priority and the SAD-BJP
government was committed to not only setting up one Adarsh school
in each block of the state but had also embarked upon an ambitious
programme to upgrade at least three existing schools in each of
Punjab's 117 constituencies. This will be in addition to the ongoing
endeavour to upgrade the existing infrastructure in the schools.
Skill upgradation centres were also being set up to impart technical
and vocational training to our youth to enable them to be gainfully
employed.
Aware that irrigation systems were the lifeline of any agrarian
economy, Sukhbir Singh Badal considered it important to mention
that Punjab's Irrigation and Drainage Department has launched
a massive programme at a cost of a whopping Rs.3300 crore to de-silt
and re-line the canals and water courses, thus enhancing intake
capacity at the tail ends in southern Malwa region. He urged the
Centre to grant Rs.10000 crore for the entire scheme for the remodeling
and revamping of the canal system in the state.
As the SAD-BJP's Insaaf Rally witnessed the top brass fighting
for the state's cause and challenging the might of Delhi to yield
to its just demands, one thing was clear as daylight that Congress
will continue to be an extinct entity in Punjab for perhaps a
couple of more decades, especially with Sukhbir Singh Badal spearheading
the battle for Punjab and blending youthful exuberance with mature
vision, cold facts and a farmer's logic.
The SAD Secretary General Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa called for industrial
concessions for Punjab along the same lines as given to its neighbouring
states. He said that it was tragic that while the whole of Punjab
had poured into Delhi to get the Union government to lend an attentive
ear to the misery of Punjab, the Prime Minister had deemed it
below his dignity even to personally meet the representatives
of the visiting millions.
The Punjab Finance Minister Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal placed
the state's case before an unparalleled gathering with unmatched
vehemence. Describing the Punjab CM as "the true messiah
of not just the peasantry but the entire spectrum of state's spectrum,
the FM said that a devastated farming community could lead to
conditions of total instability and social chaos, posing a serious
threat to peace.
The president of the Punjab unit of the BJP, Rajinder Bhandari
said that the center's step- motherly treatment of Punjab had
brought trade and industry in the state to the brink of disaster.
He demanded parity in industrial package for all the border states.
Mr. Bhandari also described as "shockingly insensitive"
the center's decision to leave Punjab out of the agricultural
package given to some other states like Kerala.
Senior BJP leader and Minister for Local Bodies Mr. Manoranjan
Kalia bemoaned the total neglect of the state, especially of trade
and industry. He said that while the present Congress leadership
in the state was indulging in political gimmickry and had been
forced to copy the SAD-BJP agenda, the sad fact was that the party
had never mustered courage even to place the case of the state
before the Union Government led by a Punjabi Prime Minister. In
contrast, he said, the former Prime Minister Mr. I.K. Gujral had
virtually thrown the doors of the central coffers open to help
Punjab regain its health and its position as the leading state
in the country.
Cooperation Minister Captain Kanwaljit Singh spoke about the
rural-urban divide in the country and asked the Congress president
Sonia Gandhi to "either wake up to the shocking reality of
the economic disparities among people from various shades or face
total political extinction."
Ex-cricket star and Member of Parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu
demanded the immediate implementation of the Act introduced by
Sir Chhottu Ram under which no farmer can be forced to pay more
than twice the principal amount of the loan. The Ram Leela grounds
reverberated with slogans when Mr. Sidhu likened Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh to an infertile cow that yielded neither calf
nor milk.
Later, Mr.Sukhbir Singh Badal along with State President BJP,
Punjab Prof. Rajinder Bhandari went to the Parliament House and
submitted a memorandum seeking justice for the people of Punjab
to the Home Minister Mr.Shiv Raj Patil on behalf of the Prime
Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh.
Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Senior
Vice President SAD Gurdev Singh Badal, General Secretary SAD Balwinder
Singh Bhunder. The rally was also attended by Mr.Balbir Punj (Incharge
Punjab Affairs) and Mrs.Kiran Ghai (both BJP National Secretaries)
and Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha Charanjit Singh Attwal, Mr.Sharanjit
Singh Dhillon, Mr.Zora Singh Mann, Mr.Varinder Singh Bajwa, Bibi
Parmajit Kaur Gulshan, Mr.Sukhdev Singh Libra, Mr.Rattan Singh
Ajnala, Mr.Naresh Gujral, Mr.Avinash Rai Khanna, Mr.Raj Mohinder
Singh Majithia (all MPs), Information & Public Relations &
Sanitation and Water Supply Minister Mr.Bikram Singh Majithia,
PWD B&R Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Advisor to Chief
Minster Dr.Daljit Singh Cheema and Media Advisor to Chief Minister
Harcharan Bains besides the MLAs, and party leaders, workers of
SAD-BJP and Members of SGPC.
DECKS CLEARED FOR SETTING UP OF ADARSH
SCHOOLS IN PUNJAB
CHANDIGARH FEBRUARY 26:
The Punjab Education Development Board under the chairmanship
of Punjab Chief Minster Mr.Parkash Singh Badal decided in principle
to provide quality education to the economically poor and intelligent
students free of cost in the 'Adarsh Schools' to be affiliated
to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in the state.
Presiding over the first meeting of the Board held late last
evening at Kapurthala House, New Delhi after the amendment of
the Punjab Education Development Act, 1998, Mr. Badal said that
now the decks have finally cleared for the major expansion of
modernized school education infrastructure in the state. He directed
the school education department to immediately invite expression
of interest in this regard. It was also decided in the meeting
that initially these schools would be set up in the rural areas
in the close proximity of the block headquarters to attract highly
qualified and talented teachers. Mr. Badal also said that the
teaching of Punjabi subject would be made compulsory up to class-X
for the students.
It was also informed in the meeting that the Government of India
had already sanctioned a sum of Rs.75 crore as Additional Central
Assistance for the setting up the Adarsh schools. Mr.Badal directed
the state Finance department to immediately release this amount
to the Board for speedy implementation of this prestigious project.
The Chief Minister also conceded to the demand of the members
of the Board for the direct transfer of the cess of Rs.37 crore
levied and collected by the state Excise & Taxation Department
in a separate head of Education Development Fund.
The members from the corporate sector and companies impressed
upon Mr.Badal to allow them to run short term vocational courses
in the premises of Adarsh schools in the evening to impart skilled
training to the students and other interested unemployed youth
to improve their chances of gainful employment. The Board also
decided to allow the group/company/individual having a net worth
of Rs.50 crore instead of Rs.100 crore to be eligible for opening
of Adarsh school. This condition would also be applicable to worth
of charitable funds and trusts being run by the business groups.
Likewise, the board also allowed the education groups having 5
years of experience/involvement in the educational institutions.
These groups should have been running at least 10 educational
institutions (colleges & schools) with proper affiliation
with not less that 1000 students for the last two years.
The Chief Minister mentioned in the meeting that the concept
of Adarsh schools had been widely appreciated by the Planning
Commission of India and GoI had also replicated the same by establishing
Adarsh school in each block of the country. He said that the novel
scheme had evoked encouraging response from the top captains of
business and industry in the country to set up 100 Adarsh Schools
in various parts of the state.
Mr.Badal appealed the renowned industrialists as responsible
corporate citizen and sought their enormous contribution towards
this noble venture because they also owe something to the community
with which they had age old cultural and emotional ties. The Chief
Minister also assured the industrialists of fulsome support and
cooperation with a congenial atmosphere to work with utmost dedication
and commitment to make this dream project a grand success.
The Board also decided to constitute an executive committee
under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary to take decision from
time to time with the approval of the Chief Minister. The other
members of the board would be Secretary School Education, VC Punjabi
University Patiala, Special Secretary School Education and a member
from the corporate/business group.
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included
Education Minister & Vice Chairman of the Board Dr.Upinderjit
Kaur, Member Rajya Sabha Naresh Gujral (special invitee) Chief
Secretary RI Singh, Financial Commissioner Excise & Taxation
SS Brar, Secretary School Education KBS Sidhu, Special Secretary
School Education Ashok Gupta, Vice Chancellor Punjabi University
Patiala Dr.Jaspal Singh, Director Vasant Valley School, New Delhi
Arun Kapur and Madan Mohan Vyas (both educationists), besides
Chairman-cum-Managing Director Hero Group Sunil Munjhal, Vice
President Bharti Enterprises Rakesh Mittal, Chairman Ranbaxy Laboratories
Ltd. Harpal Singh as the private partners.
BADAL CALLS ON PRIME MINISTER URGES PM
RESPONDS 'POSITIVELY' TO BADALS DEMAND FOR ONE TIME LOAN WAIVER
FOR FARMERS. CM SEEKS RS.1400 PER QUINTAL AS WHEAT MSP
CHANDIGARH FEBRUARY 25:
Right on the eve of the Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh
Badal impressed upon Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for one
time waiver of agriculture debt to save the beleaguered peasantry
of the state from the back breaking burden of debt.
This was disclosed by Mr. Harcharan Bains, Media Advisor to
Chief Minister, Punjab. Mr. Bains said that Dr. Manmohan Singh's
response was positive and constructive.
Elaborating what transpired during the meeting between the two
leaders in New Delhi this evening, Mr. Bains said that the Prime
Minister agreed that the farmers had contributed immensely to
odds making India as self-reliant in the food production.
Appreciating the concern of Mr.Badal for fixing the Minimum
Support Price of wheat to at least Rs.1400 per quintal for the
ensuing Rabi Season, the Prime Minister assured him that he would
soon involve the Ministry of Agriculture and the Commission for
Agricultural Costs & Prices for an upward revision in this
regard, according to the Media Advisor.
Earlier, Mr. Badal also had a longish meeting with the Union
Agriculture Minister, Mr. Sharad Pawar to discuss the farmers'
issues.
In another significant development, the Prime Minister also assured
the Chief Minister's to take up the matter of relining for the
Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind Feeder Canals at the cost of Rs.650
crore with the Ministry of Water Resources at the priority. Dr.
Singh also assured the Chief Minister that he would soon the direct
the Ministry of Railway for the construction of 37 KMs new railway
link from Mallan Wala on Jalandhar-Ferozepur line to Ratoke on
Amritsar-Khemkaran line for which the Ministry of Railways had
already conducted the survey.
The Prime Minister also assured Mr. Badal that he would ask the
Ministry of Human Resources to clear the pending project of the
setting up of Central University in Punjab without any further
delay.
Raising various issues relating to the overall development and
progress of the state, Mr.Badal urged the Prime Minister to extend
the Mumbai-Delhi Rail Freight Corridor to Ludhiana – an
industrial hub to boost the economic development in the state.
Besides, the Chief Minister also impressed upon Dr. Singh to extend
the Rail Freight Corridor from Sonnagar (West Bengal to Ludhiana
upto Amritsar and Attari on Indo Pak Border to usher in an era
of economic prosperity especially in the border area.
Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for the clearance
of Mohali International Airport, Mr.Badal requested him to name
it as 'Shaheed-e- Bhagat Singh International Airport' to pay a
befitting tribute to the great martyr during his year long birth
centenary celebrations. .
Mr. Bains said that the Chief Minister sought personal intervention
of Dr.Singh for an expeditious Cabinet approval for the prestigious
1715 KM Guru Gobind Singh Marg from Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib,
Sri Anandpur Sahib to Takhat Sri Sachkhand Hazoor Sahib Nanded
in Maharashtra and the release of funds to the tune of Rs.186.33
crore for the infrastructure development of the holy towns of
Sri Anadpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo keeping in view the historical
importance of the mega event of 'Guruta Gaddi Diwas' tercentenary
celebrations.
Dr. Singh also conceded the state government's proposal to upgrade
the Amritsar Medical College to provide best health care facilities
to the people of Punjab and adjoining states of Himachal Pradesh
and J&K. It may be recalled that out of the total cost of
the project of Rs.141 crore, GoI's share would be Rs.100 crore.
In a significant development, the Prime Minister also assured
the Chief Minister's to take up the matter of relining for the
Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind Feeder Canals at the cost of Rs.650
crore with the Ministry of Water Resources at the priority. Dr.
Singh also assured the Chief Minister that he would soon the direct
the Ministry of Railway for the construction of 37 KMs new railway
link from Mallan Wala on Jalandhar-Ferozepur line to Ratoke on
Amritsar-Khemkaran line for which the Ministry of Railways had
already conducted the survey.
The Prime Minister also assured Mr. Badal that he would asked
the Ministry of Human Resources to clear the pending project of
the setting up of Central University in Punjab without any further
delay.
Responding to the demands put forth by Mr.Badal, the Prime Minister
assured the Chief Minister that he would personally review the
position of the different projects and proposals sent by the State
Government to the Centre for approval with the concerned Ministries.
He assured Dr.Manmohan Singh that the funds provided by the Centre
for the schemes and projects aimed at the overall development
of the state and welfare of its people would be spent in the right
earnest and the progress of these schemes would be regularly monitored
at his own level to ensure their timely implementations.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chief Secretary Mr.Ramesh
Inder Singh.
Name Nanded Sahib Airport
as Guru Gobind Singh Airport: Badal to PM
Chandigarh February 25: The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash
Singh Badal today called on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
in New Delhi and urged him to name the proposed Airport at Sri
Nanded Sahib as Sri Guru Gobind Singh Airport.
According to Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Harcharan Bains,
Mr. Badal handed over a written request on behalf of "the
people of Sri Nanded Sahib, all Punjabis, the entire Sikh Community
and, in fact, the whole mankind" requesting the Prime Ministerial
intervention in the matter "purely as a token of respect
and reverence to the incomparable sacrifices made by the Tenth
Master Sri Guru Gobind Singhji."
Mr. Badal thanked the Prime Minister for the Government of India's
decision to set up an Airport at Sri Nanded Sahib.
Mr. Bains said that the Chief Minister remind it the Prime Minister
that "this decision of the Government of India coincides
with the historic occasion of the tercentenary celebrations of
Gurta-Gaddi to be observed at Gurudwara Sachkhand Sahib at Sri
Nanded Sahib in October, 2008. This involves the remembrance of
the 300th year of the consecration of Guru Granth Sahib. Equally
significantly this year happens to be tercentenary year of the
Parlok Gaman of the Tenth Master, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji."
Mr. Badal said that 'the whole nation is observing the anniversary
as an event of national pride, patriotism and spiritual renaissance.
The great Guru, he said, "is truly an icon of liberation
and elevation of the human spirit to Godliness for the entire
mankind. "No occasion can be more befitting than this to
offer our tributes to the Great Guru. Purely as a token of respect
and reverence to the incomparable sacrifices made by him, it would
be appropriate to name Sri Nanded Sahib Airport as Sri Guru Gobind
Singh Airport", said Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister said that he had no doubt in his that mind
that "not only the entire Sikh community but also the total
mankind would salute the Government of India for paying this humble
tribute to the Saint-Soldier unparalleled."
Mr. Badal requested the Prime Minister to issue necessary instructions
to this effect, said Mr. Bains.
GOI TEAM ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CALLS
ON CHIEF MINISTER
CHANDIGARH FEBRUARY 25:
A 4-member high empowered team of Government of India (GoI)
led by Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology
(GoI) today called on Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh
Badal to apprise him with the latest developments regarding the
setting up of Neno Technology Institute and Indian Institute of
Science Education and Research (IISER) at Mohali.
Mr. Ramasami informed Mr. Badal that the main purpose of their
visit was to finalize the site and other formalities related to
the infrastructure with the Punjab Government. He also informed
that Government of India would made all necessary clearances in
this regard shortly to initiate the construction work by the months
of May-June this year and it would take 18 months to complete
the entire project.
Interacting with the team Mr. Badal said that the Punjab Government
was committed to impart high quality education in the state especially
in the Science stream. He also evinced keen interest to work in
tandem with Department of Science and Technology (GoI) in focus
areas of education, higher education, technical education, and
science & research education. Mr. Badal assured the visiting
team that the state government would extend fulsome support and
cooperation to them. He also directed Greater Mohali Area Development
Authority (GMADA) to transfer the proposed land to the Institutions.
The other members of this high empowered team included Dr. A.
Mukhopadhyay, Adviser; Mr. V. Rao Aiyagari , Adviser & Head
(SERC) and Mr. Sanjiv Nair, Joint Secretary, Department of Science
and Technology (GoI).
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included
Dr. J. S. Bajaj, Vice Chairman, Punjab State Planning Board; Mr.
DS Guru, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister; Mr. A.S. Chhatwal,
Secretary Science and Technology; Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Secretary,
Higher Education; Mr. Vivek Partap Singh, CA, GMADA; Special Principal
Secretary to Chief Minister K.J.S. Cheema; Dr. N.S. Tiwana, Executive
Director Science and Technology, Punjab and Dr. N. Sathyamurthy,
Director Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER),
Mohali.