Anandpur Sahib, March 18
While clemency for Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, bad economy of the state and growing unrest among farmers were the main issues discussed at political conferences of various factions of the Akali Dal organised here today, the Congress tried to overcome Akalis on their home turf by conceding to some of the demands of the SGPC and the Sikhs instantly.

The Lok Bhalai Party, a new entrant to the political scenario of the state, adopted a resolution urging all political parties not to wash their “dirty linen in public on the occasion of religious festivals" and demanded that “all political conferences on such occasions be discontinued".

Incidentally, instead of usual political-bashing witnessed at such political conferences, the tone and tenor at most of the venues was softer and more on issues than individual-based.

Though the turnout at the historic mela was lower as compared to previous years yet political conferences evoked good response. In all seven political conferences were held. Two of these — one by the Lok Bhalai Party and another by the Rashtriya Raksha Dal — were organised for the first time. The Dal Khalsa, too, organised its conference . The reason cited for the lukewarm public response to the historic Hola Mohalla festival this time has been that farmers were busy in agitations and dharnas at various places in Punjab and Chandigarh.

Most of the senior political leaders of the state with the exception of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra were present in the city for the conferences, the two central leaders of Congress — Mrs Mohsina Kidwai and Mrs Ambika Soni — were conspicuous by their absence. So was the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.

The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, claimed that the Congress government in the state was “farmer friendly and was aware of the issues raised by them while starting dharnas at Patiala and in Chandigarh” yet they have been successfully persuaded to end dharnas and wait for the new Budget of the state to come.

The Chief Minister lashed out at the previous SAD-BJP government for not taking any decision on some of the “religious demands of the SGPC, including exemption from sales tax on various supplies made to the Golden Temple complex.”

Playing the Sikh card effectively he said what Akalis could not do in five years, he was taking decisions on such demands instantly by referring to the drying up of the canal at historic Patalpuri Gurdwara or emptying of sullage in “Kali bain” adjoining historic gurdwara at Sultanpur in Kapurthala. He also announced that the Punjab Government was committed in completing the Sikh Heritage Complex which the Akalis started without any financial planning.

Among the immediate concessions he announced he said henceforth, no sales tax would be levied on any supplies made to the Golden Temple complex. The supplies may include ration, building material and other items. He also ordered that a chapati-making machine imported from the USA would be exempt from the payment of octroi and other such local duties and would be handed over to the SGPC at Amritsar immediately.

The government, he said, was committed in completing the Golden Temple galliara scheme and would find funds for it soon. Appreciating the Khalsa Heritage complex, Capt Amarinder Singh wondered at previous Akali Government's wisdom by closing down the project after releasing only Rs 50 crore for the Rs 200 crore project.