Yesterday's statement of Sh. Sukhbir Badal that the Gandhi family had failed the state of Punjab and that where ever Rahul Gandhi visited the congress party had lost, are comments out of sheer frustration. Probably the junior Badal is not aware of the historic perspective of Gandhi family's contribution not only to Punjab but India as a whole. Needless to remind him that Rahul Gandhi is in his fourth generation to serve India. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru his great grandfather was pioneer of independent India, he not only suffered and was imprisoned for leading India's independent movement but also courted arrest in the popular 'Jaito ka Morcha' to support the cause of Sikhs seeking liberation of their Guruduwara's.

The modern India that we see are a result of strong secular foundations laid by Pandit Nehru, followed by development in all spheres by Mrs. Indra Gandhi. Rahul's father Sh. Rajiv Gandhi took India forward in the field of Technology and communications. Besides great services to the nation the Gandhi family has sacrificed self to keep India united. We cannot forget the untimely assassinations of Mrs. Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi for the unity and integrity of India.

Projects like the Punjab Agriculture University, Bhakra Dam our major source of electricity, network of canals and the modern Punjab that we see today are also a part of Gandhi family's contribution to the development of Punjab. I wish to question Sh. Sukhbir Badal as to what is the contribution of your father and yours for Punjab? While out of power your father had only launched agitations and 'Morha's' to achieve nothing but to get thousands of Punjabi's killed during the days of terrorism. While Punjab burnt you were living a cozy protected life in the U.S.A. What is your contribution for Akali Dal to become its President? Can you show even one day of Jail or struggle which was a qualification to become an Akali. You should not forget that you are President SAD courtesy your father S. Parkash Singh Badal. Without him you may not be elected even a Sarpanch of a village. You are playing politics while safely seated in the laps of your father. Your family has only indulged in mass corruption as is evident from the charges framed against you in the Mohali court. Therefore before you speak about Sh. Rahul Gandhi who is the future of India and the youth of this country want to see him as Prime Minister of India, you must choose your words carefully.

In the end I demand a public apology for making such derogatory remarks against the Gandhi family or else the Congress cadres would resort to showing black flags and will 'Gherao' you in Punjab.

Sukhpal Singh Khaira,

MLA Bholath.

Congress pity's Sukhbir's frustration

Jeetmohinder singh
Sep. 21, 2008

Senior Congress leaders have criticized the maverick president of the Shriomani Akali Dal for his statement about the forthcoming visit of the party general secretary Rahul Gandhi to the state from tomorrow. The Congress leaders said, it only showed Sukhbir's frustration and lack of faith in the great Punjabi traditions of hospitality which make them welcome even an enemy.

The Congress leaders pointed out, Rahul Gandhi is the general secretary of the oldest and largest political party in the country that is in power at the centre and so many other states. Besides, they remarked, Rahul Gandhi was the scion of the family which had given great honour to the Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular by appointing Dr Manmohan Singh, a Sikh, as the Prime Minister of the country.

They said, as the SAD president is realizing to his utter frustration that the ground beneath his feet is eroding and slipping fast, he has started issuing such statements which are unbecoming of the leader of a party which claims to be the representative of the Punjabi and Panthic interests.

The party leaders pointed out, Punjab is a land of great Gurus, Saints, and Sufis who preached love and brotherhood. Sukhbir, they said, unfortunately presents a strong contrast to great Punjab traditions by spreading the venom of hatred and vindictiveness. As a true politician he should have great respect for a senior leader of a political party that has won the country its freedom and made so many sacrifices for it's unity and integrity. He should better think twice before opening his mouth.

They said, Sukhbir might have been thrust with the presidentship of the SAD, but he is yet to graduate to the level of political maturity that this post requires. He is still behaving like a political maverick mouthing everything that his made to mouth without understanding or realizing its implications.

However, they added, Sukhbir's frustration over Rahul Gandhi's visit to the state is quite understandable for the obvious reasons that it has generated huge response from across the state among the people in general and the workers (youth) in particular. "Be like a true Punjabi and take everything in Punjabi spirit without getting desperate and frustrated so fast", the Congress leaders advised Sukhbir.

LalSingh,BrahmMohindra,AvtarSinghBrar,TejPrakashSingh,PartapSinghBajwa, HarminderSinghJassi,AmarjitSinghSmra,SadhuSinghDharamsot,

SherSinghGaggowal,IsharSingh,AvtarSinghBrar,RanaGurmitSinghSodhi,SunilJakhar,RanaKPSingh,RaziaSultan, SunnyBrar, GurdipSinghBhaini,LuvKumarGoldy,

RandipSinghNabha,AjitinderSinghMoffar,SurjitSinghDhiman,OPSoni,GurpreetSinghKangar,MakahanSingh, AjaibSinghBhatti,NirmalSingh,JoginderSinghPanjgrain,

HarchandKaur,HarmohinderSinghPardhan,KewalSinghDhillon,KuldipSinghBhattal,JPJain,MangatRaiBansal, NareshKataria,RipjitSinghBrar,SukhpalSinghKhera,

SurinderSinghSibia,SukhSarkaria,AjitSinghShant,RajbansKaurRana,BalbirSinghSidhu,JasbirSinghKhangura and JeetmohinderSinghSidhu All MLA's.

SukhjinderSinghRandhawa,AshwaniSekhri,ArunaChaudhary,RumalChand,AshokSharma,JasbirSinghDimpa, SardoolSingh,Prof.DarbariLal,HarjinderSinghThekedar,

HPSAjnala,GurchetSinghBhullar,KanwaljitSinghLali,AvtarSinghHenry,PrakashSinghSaini, SnatokhChaudhary,ChRamLubhaya, RCDogra,SurinderDawar,

MalkiatSinghBirmi,AmrikSinghDhillon,JagmohanSinghKangh,JasjitSinghRanndhawa,PrakashSinghBhatti, Dr.MohinderSinghRinwa,HansRajJoshan,

RavinderSinghBabal,RaghbirSingh,TripatRajinderSinghBajwa,GurkanwalKaur, All Ex MLA's.

Maheshinder SinghBadal,TejinderSinghBittu,HarminderSinghGill,RattanSingh,Dr.DharambirAgnihotri,TarsemSinghand RaninderSinghGenSecyPPCC

Amarinder ridicules Badal for trying to 'bribe' Patiala

Chandigarh, Sep. 15, 2008
Jeetmohinder Singh

Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today ridiculed Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for his naive and foolish attempts to bribe the people of Patiala. In a statement issued from London, Capt Amarinder remarked, "it is sheer naivety on part of Badal to presume that he can bribe the people of Patiala with Rs 250 crores so that they overlook his acts of omission and commission so far"

Capt Amarinder said, the people of Patiala have a strong and emotive relationship with him and his family for over 250 years, when his forefather Baba Aala Singh founded the cityof Patiala. Moreover, people of Patiala understand the motive behind Badal's promised bounty as the timing itself explains everything. He pointed out, Badal has been the Chief Minister for four times and how come he found the love for Patiala only now. "Obviously he is trying to atone for the cardinal sin he committed by getting their duly elected representative disqualified from the assembly for personal prejudice by using the numerical majority in the house", Capt Amarinder observed, while adding, people of Patiala are wise enough to see through his dubious motives.

The scion of the Patiala royal family maintained that their emotional bonds with the people of Patiala were too precious and priceless to be bought by the petty traders like Badals. "This is Badal's typical way of doing things; bribing people for his personal gains", Capt Amarinder remarked in his imitable style, while adding, "but here he will fail miserably as he must realize that everything is not saleable, not at least the trust, love and confidence the people of Patiala have always reposed in me and my family for over 250 years".

He pointed out, the people of Patiala have returned him to the assembly twice and him having the privilage of becoming CM Punjab after becoming MLA from here,besides also getting his wife elected to the Parliament twice. Referring to the allegations of Badal that he had hardly done anything for Patiala, Capt Amarinder remarked, "I don't need to explain it to Badal at least, because the people of Patiala know what I have done for them". He pointed out, people of Patiala had time and again acknowledged it with the huge margins of votes with which he was elected to the assembly.

The former Chief Minister said, Badal may cry hoarse that there was no political motive in his day long sangat darshan at Patiala on Sunday, but everybody knows and understands why he needed to spend a full day there canceling all other prescheduled engagements. "One fine morning he wakes up and decides to listen to the people of Patiala, what a great awakening and realization", he remarked while adding, "I must appreciate Badal's honest admission that Patiala would no longer be discriminated against, which means he had been discriminating with them (people of Patiala) so far as they had elected me to the assembly with such a sweeping margin", he pointed out.

Capt Amarinder hoped, Badal keeps his promise of giving Rs 250 crores to Patiala. "Because we know how sincere he is in his promises and commitments, the former Chief Minister remarked.

Jeetmohinder Singh Sidhu on behalf of Capt.Amarinder Singh

Why is SAD so desperate to defame Amarinder?

Chandigarh, Sep. 14, 2008
Jeetmohinder Singh

All sitting and former Congress legislators today condemned the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharitya Janata Party government for its slander campaign against the former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in the aftermath of his so called indictment and his unconstitutional disqualification from the assembly

In a joint statement, the Congress leaders said, having realized that the slander campaign against Capt Amarinder had not only failed, but also boomeranged on it with widespread outcry in media and the public, the government was now desperately trying to defend itself by literally buying space for this campaign in newspapers which otherwise had already seen through its dirty game and refused to be part of it.

Referring to the paid advertisements being published in various newspapers obviously by a worried SAD-BJP Goverenment, they asked as who was paying for these advertisements that cost crores of rupees and where that money came from. "Have the SAD and its vindictive president Sukhbir Badal got so desperate that they now want to run a trial by media through these paid advertisements?", the legislators asked while pointing out that the way the paid advertisements were being inserted in the newspapers only showed how frustrated Sukhbir was getting to make out as if the false and baseless allegations against Capt Amarinder were true.

The Congress leaders observed, "to conceal one lie, you have to speak hundred more lies and that is precisely what is happening with Sukhbir and his SAD as he is now finding it difficult to face the public". They said, the quotes attributed to the former Improvement Trust chairperson, Mrs Ratna Sharma were false and fabricated and these were quite contrary to what she had actually said and spoken, as reported in the media a few days ago.

They said, in the mad pursuit of settling personal scores with Capt Amarinder, the SAD president Sukhbir was committing one cardinal sin after another. "First he tried to used his majority in the assembly to get Amarinder Singh indicted and expelled, now he is literally buying out the newspaper space to defame him", they pointed out, while adding, this really shows the level of frustration he is suffering from as the masses of Punjab have already seen through his designs. Come what may nobody was going to buy his baseless allegations against Capt Amarinder.

The Congress leaders demanded that it needed to be probed as who was behind this slanderous and defamatory advertisement campaign and who was financing it. "Otherwise who would be so concerned to buy newspaper space worth crores of rupees just to try to repeat a lie 100 times so that it is deemed to be a truth", they pointed out, while referring to the repeated assertions in the advertisements to make out as if Capt Amarinder had really indulged in corruption.

The party leaders also appealed to the newspapers to ensure that no defamatory and slanderous material is allowed to go to the print just because it is paid for. "Our newspapers have always maintained highest standards of journalistic ethics and we are sure they will continue with this tradition and not take the bait from those who are desperate to settle personal scores by hook or crook", they said.

LalSingh, Brahm Mohindra, Avtar Singh Brar,Tej Prakash Singh, Partap Singh Bajwa, Harminder Singh Jassi, Amarjit Singh Smra, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, SherSingh Gaggowal ,Ishar Singh, Avtar Singh Brar, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Sunil Jakhar, Rana KP Singh, Razia Sultan, Sunny Brar,Gurdip Singh Bhaini, LuvKumar Goldy, Randip Singh Nabha, Ajitinder Singh Moffar,Surjit Singh Dhiman, OPSoni, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Makahan Singh, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Nirmal Singh, Joginder Singh Panjgrain, Harchand Kaur, Harmohinder Singh Pardhan, Kewal Singh Dhillon, Kuldip Singh Bhattal, JPJain, MangatRai Bansal, Naresh Kataria, Ripjit Singh Brar, Sukhpal Singh Khera, Surinder Singh Sibia,Sukh Sarkaria, AjitSingh Shant, Rajbans Kaur Rana, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Jasbir Singh Khangura

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Ashwani Sekhri, Aruna Chaudhary, Rumal Chand, Ashok Sharma, Jasbir Singh Dimpa,Sardool Singh,Prof. Darbari Lal, Harjinder Singh Thekedar, HPS Ajnala, Gurchet Singh Bhullar, Kanwaljit SinghLali, Avtar Singh Henry, Prakash Singh Saini, Snatokh Chaudhary, ChRam Lubhaya, RCDogra, Surinder Dawar,Malkiat Singh Birmi, Amrik Singh Dhillon, Jagmohan Singh Kangh, JasjitSingh Ranndhawa, PrakashSingh Bhatti, Dr. Mohinder SinghRinwa, HansRajJoshan, Ravinder SinghBabal, Raghbir Singh,Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa,Gurkanwal Kaur, All Ex MLA's.

Sitting, former Congress legislators rally behind Amarinder

Taking strong note of the expulsion of the former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh from the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, several sitting and former Congress legislators and ex ministers today condemned the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bhartiya Janata Party for abusing the brute majority in the state legislature to commit the murder of democracy. They said, the SAD-BJP government in general and the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal in particular were scared of Amarinder Singh's popularity and hence they decided to hit him below the belt. "Had they courage and confidence to face Amarinder, they should have waited for the parliamentary elections", the legislators said, while adding, using mean and treacherous methods by employing the services of small time political leaders like Hairsh Rai Dhanda, whose survival is dependent on their goodwill, the father-son duo have betrayed a petty and mean mindset unheard of in Punjab politics so far.

The Congress leaders observed, the Chief Minister and his maverick son had set a dangerous precedent by trying to circumvent the judicial process and settle personal scores by misusing, rather abusing, the numerical majority in the house. They remarked, Badal and his son have only betrayed their frustration against Amarinder and virtually admitted their defeat much ahead of the parliamentary elections. However, the Congress leaders said, this has only popularised Amarinder Singh and won him more supporters as people have already seen through the dirty and dangerous gameplan of the father-son duo. Moreover this has further strengthened the resolve of the party and the workers to teach them a lesson in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

They pointed out, ever since they came to power, the father and the son tried to implicate Amarinder in various false cases of corruption as they wanted to put him behind the bars. But once the courts saw through their design and granted blanket bail to Amarinder, they now started circumventing the judicial procedure and abuse their majority in the legislative assembly. "But if they feel that they can demoralise the Congress workers they are living in a fool's paradise", the former and sitting legislators remarked, while adding, the expulsion will not stand the scrutiny of the law. Nor will it stand the trial in open court of the masses of Punjab, who have time and again expressed the resolve and confidence in the leadership of Amarinder Singh.

The legislators maintained that the battle would now be taken to the cities, towns and villages across Punjab. They said, the father-son duo will only have to regret their decision as they have tried to bite more than they could chew. They observed, there is nothing wrong in political rivalry, but stooping too low is quite unheard of. They pointed out, the father-son duo must be keen to settle personal scores with Amarinder during whose regime they were put behind bars. "But they must realise that they were sent to the jail by a trial court and not by any executive or legislative order dictated by Amarinder", they said and warned, this is a democracy and regimes come and go and those who think that the three years is a long time must realise that their countdown has started now.

All Members of the Cong Legislative Party,Tripat Bajwa, HPSAjnala,Santokh Choudhry,Sukhjinder Randhawa,Aruna Choudhary,Raman Bhalla, Harjinder Thekedar, Rumal Chand, Kamaljit Laly,Avtar Henry, JagmohanKang, Jasjit Randhawa, NathuRam, Prakash Bhatti, PrkashSaini, Prof. Darbarilal, Raghbir Singh, Ramesh ChanderDogra, Sardool Singh, Ashok Sharma All ex MLA;s

Following is the text of a note given to Sh. Rahul Gandhi Gen. Secy. AICC on the political situation prevailing in the state, during his visit to Phagwara Distt. Kapurthala yesterday. A photograph has been attached alongwith.

Attn: -Sh. Rahul Gandhi Ji, Dated 24.09.08

Gen. Secy. AICC.

A brief note on the present political scenario in Punjab.

Ever since the formation of SAD-BJP Govt. in Punjab, Congress leaders and workers have been targeted in a planned manner with intention to demoralize our cadres in the state. Sh. Sukhbir Singh Badal President SAD has virtually taken over reigns of power in Punjab and is in fact De-facto Chief Minister. Thousands of cases have been registered falsely right from top leadership down to village level worker. The police of our state has become a handy tool in the campaign of political victimization launched by the Akali's. I my self am a victim of a false case of theft of a truck tarpulin in the F.I.R No. 54 dated 18.4.07 P.S Subanpur Distt. Kapurthala u/s 382, 342, 294, IPC. Police and the administration are indulging in acts of both commission and omission. In cases where Congress workers have been affected in serious crimes such as murder, attempt to murder, serious injuries, the police prefers to look the other way and Akali goons are scotting free after committing such heinous crimes.

Grass root democracy has taken a severe beating in Punjab, during the recently concluded, local bodies and Panchayat elections. Can you believe that the Congress has been unable to show its presence in the over 12000 village panchayats and so is the case in the municipalities. Booth capturing, rigging, broadaylight goondaism ruled the roost during these elections. Major national newspapers carried mass coverage of the said murder of democracy, even senior journalists were not spared in the home constituency of the Chief Minister. Scores of Congress workers have been killed in the so called grass root elections in the state.

Even the august Vidhan Sabha has been misused to muzzle the voice of the opponents through brute majority. I am not defending Capt. Amarinder Singh's expulsion but my fear is that if legislatures are allowed to expel elected members merely because of majority, then this would set a very dangerous precedent for the Indian polity.

Therefore to sum up, I feel that the central Govt. has not taken due cognizance of the above mentioned unconstitutional and illegal conduct of the Punjab Govt. at the behest of Sh. Sukhbir Badal. Punjab today is an absolute fit case for invoking article 356, President's rule should be imposed and Vidhan Sabha suspended so that the rule of law can be restored. I have my fear's, that if corrective measures are not taken immediately, it may cost our party very dear in the forthcoming Parliament elections. At present there is a sense of fear in the minds of the grass root Congress workers who are the one's likely to become our polling agents. Although a strong feeling of resentment persists in the minds of the people against the Govt, but there is an urgent need to restore the confidence of the people and Congress rank and file in Punjab.