Muktsar, January 14
Accusing the Congress leadership and its successive government at the Centre and in Punjab of bartering away the interests of the state for remaining in power, the SAD (Badal) today passed a resolution vowing to fight for the interests of Punjab especially its right on river waters per riparian principles by observing 2003 as the year of the struggle.
At the party’s conference organised here today to mark sacrifices by 40 Muktas (Liberated ones), in connection the SAD leadership with the supreme unfolding its agenda to protect the rights and interests of Punjab declared that it would fight a political battle to get justice for Punjab and would not allow its water to flow to Haryana through the SYL canal even if the Supreme Court decided in its (Haryana’s) favour.
The SAD (Badal) President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal said that the party would at any cost to safeguard the interests of Punjab and struggle to press the state Congress government to restore benefits given to people by the previous SAD BJP government, and which had been withdrawn by the
Congress
government to restore benefits given to people by the previous SAD BJP government, and which had been withdrawn by the Congress government led by Capt. Amarinder Singh.The time has come for the Punjabis to fight against the anti-Punjab and anti-Punjabi steps of Captain Amarinder Singh, following one-point programme of victimising the Akalis under the garb of anti-corruption campaign,” said Mr Badal addressing here.
The Nehru family including Late Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, Late Indira Gandhi and Late Rajiv Gandhi betrayed Punjab and caused major setback to the state socially, economically, politically and religiously during their leadership. Now the SAD (Badal) would have to fight to protect the interests of Punjab.
He, however, added that if Captain Amarinder Singh was serious about protecting Punjab’s right over river waters he should first condemn the initiation of the digging of SYL canal by Late Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi and then withdrawal of case filed by him (Mr Badal) in the Supreme Court against the SYL canal by Congress Chief Minister, Late Darbara Singh.
If Capt Amarinder Singh did so, the SAD (Badal) would extend him support in his “so called” fight against the completion of SYL canal. He added that party’s MLAs would attend the special session of the Vidhan Sabha on the SYL canal issue proposed to be called by the Congress government.
The resolution, was read by Capt Kanwaljit Singh, former state Finance Minister
Former Union Minister, Sukhbir Badal alleged that intention of Capt Amarinder Singh in connection with protecting the interests of Punjab particularly, the share in river water was evident from the fact that his government had filed the petition in the Supreme Court in the nick of time.
Mr Ashok Pardhan, Union Labour Minister, who was the main speaker at the conference, while not touching the SYL canal issue, alleged that the Congress was following pseudo-secularism and added that it was the Congress which engineered anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in 1984 and the Godhra incident in Gujarat last year. He appealed to people that if they wanted people-oriented government led y Mr Badal in Punjab again, they should oust the Congress in the Assembly elections in Himachal.
Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa while warning Capt Amarinder Singh for harassing the Akalis under the garb of anti-corruption drive, said that the Congress government should set up a judicial commission headed y a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High court to probe misdeeds, if any. He added that the Akalis would give a befitting reply of the atrocities being committed against them by the police.
Those, who attended that conference included, Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar, President, SGPC, Mr Tota Singh, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Mr Sikander Singh (all former ministers) and Mr Zora Singh Mann, MP, Ferozepore.
