Politicking at Khatkar Kalan
From Jasmine Sandhu Sandhawalia
Tribune News Service

KHATKAR KALAN, March 23 — The 68th martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh was observed here today. Leaders of the SAD, the BJP, the Congress, the CPM, the CPI (ML) addressed separate political rallies. The political leaders gunned for each other, making the martyr’s memory into a political affair.

The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, held the Congress responsible for the ‘financial crisis’, by leaving a whooping Rs 15,000 crore deficit in the state. He said the SAD-BJP coalition government had surged ahead to revamp the economy of the state by launching "mega projects" be it the Bathinda refinery a 16,000 crore project, science city, international airport at Amritsar, which would be upgraded soon with a Rs 180 crore grant from the Centre. However, he regretted, that the ‘martyrdom’ of freedom fighters had not provided the promised homeland as the average Indian still took home a per capita income less than people in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The Chief Minister, while holding the Congress responsible for militancy in the state, accused the hardliners in the SAD, too, for raising provocative slogans.

Dubbing the Congress as the "scandal raj party" he claimed having completed the Thein Dam and Lehra Mohabat, while giving clearance to power generating plants, which would make, the state self reliant.

The Congress president, Mr Amarinder Singh, while paying obeisance to the martyrs, feared that the fragile peace of the state could be "troubled" by the feuding Akalis who had a history of provoking masses.

Clarifying his, party’s position on river waters, he said Punjab had no water to share. However, he castigated Mr Simranjit Singh Mann for his recent drive to fill up the SYL. "No responsible leader, should take such steps, which can destroy the peace", he said.

The Congress he said, was committed to maintain the hard won peace while guarding the interests and issues related to its progress.

On the other hand the newly formed "Lok Bhallai Party" of the former Union Minister, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, was a crowd-puller, with artistes performing political and social satire.

While political leaders were busy making speeches, people seemed little interested, in the political ‘rhetoric’ they are subjected to each year.

Mr Badal earlier laid the foundation stone of Adarsh School in the village.

He said the martyr’s village would get solar power before the next anniversary.