Amritsar, May 17
In a significant development, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, has decided to take up the issue of “black-listed” Punjabis who had shifted to various countries during the peak of militancy with Mr Lal Krishan Advani, Union Home Minister, during his proposed meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
In an exclusive interview with The Tribune late last evening, Mr Badal said since normalcy had returned to Punjab, there was a need to review such a list. Mr Badal will also urge the Union Home Minister to ensure the release those languishing in jails of various countries, including Pakistan and Central Asia.
Though the issue opening Canadian Consulate in Chandigarh pertains to the Ministry of External Affairs, yet Mr Badal will seek the help of Mr Advani in this regard. It has been the long-pending demand of Canada-based Punjabis that the consulate opens its office in Chandigarh for which the Canadian Government has already been given the green signal. Mr Badal will also ask the Home Minister to release Rs 58 crore for completion of the fourth phase of the “galliara yojna” (beautification of Golden Temple surroundings) at the earliest. The project has been hanging fire for the past several years.
Mr Badal may also hold a meeting with Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, to resolve the long-pending issues. Mr Badal said his government had succeeded in getting sanction for more projects during the four years of its governance than by the Congress that had been in power for 40 years.
To a question, Mr Badal said the political alliance of the Shiromani Akali Dal with the BJP was a permanent one as it was based on mutual respect and friendship. He said the alliance would contest the forthcoming Assembly elections jointly.
Ruling out the possibility of mid-term elections, Mr Badal said his would be the first Akali government to complete its term as all earlier Akali governments had been toppled by the Congress Government without any valid reason.
Since there was an NDA Government at the Centre, the Akali government now faced no such threat.
To a question, Mr Badal said the holding of ‘sangat darshan’ in rural and urban areas should not be taken as an indication for mid-term elections.
He refuted the Opposition charge that grants were being distributed on the “basis of loyalty”. He had directed the officials concerned to put up boards showing details of funds distributed to make the process more transparent.
Justifying ‘sangat darshan’, Mr Badal said bureaucrats did not know the pulse of the people. Hence, it was the duty of elected persons to establish a direct liaison with the masses through a single-window system.
Mr Badal ruled out the possibility of unity with rival Akali factions. He alleged that the leaders of rival Akali factions were not sincere on forging unity as they wanted the Congress to benefit. He also alleged that these factions had contested the previous three elections with the sole aim of helping the Congress. He said the demand by some rival Akali leaders he (Mr Badal) should be summoned at Akal Takht was politically motivated as he had not violated Sikh ‘maryada’.
Asked whether a ‘divided’ Congress would prove to be a boon for his party during the Assembly elections, Mr Badal said his government did not think on these lines as his party would contest the elections on the basis of the performance of his government. “Unity or disunity in the Opposition will hardly have any impact”, Mr Badal said.
The Chief Minister claimed that the state now had sufficient funds to complete the projects launched during the past four years.
Mr Badal said various countries like England, France, Italy and Pakistan were being contacted by the Vajpayee government for getting back the relics of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He said Ram Bagh in Amritsar, would be made the ‘best garden’ in country.
For round-the-clock power supply to paddy growers at the time of plantation, Mr Badal said Himachal Pradesh had agreed to divert at least 100 mw of power to Punjab. More power was being arranged with the help of the Central Government.
On the World Trade Organisation, Mr Badal said, his government was seized of the matter and would make every effort to save the farmer. Marginal farmer could not compete with big landlords of developed countries. He said Mr Vajpayee was also making efforts to save the marginal farmer from the possibility of the onslaught of the WTO.
He said the Vajpayee Government had taken certain precautionary measures such as anti-dumping duty on imported items.
The Chief Minister said the state government would establish a thermal plant at Goindwal Sahib Amritsar district. Work on the Uppar Bari Doab Canal had already been launched. It would improve irrigation facilities its in Majha.
