Mansa, March 28
“If NDA is voted to power and the SAD candidates are elected, funds would be doubled and schemes would be implemented for the development of the state,” claimed deputy chief minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, while talking to the media at Sardoolgarh today.

He said the Congress had ruled the country for a long time and Punjab was ignored by it. On the issue of more rights for the states, he said that SAD would put it on its agenda, when the common minimum programme will be prepared by the NDA. The deputy CM said that only SAD governments started development work in the state and the Congress did not give any attention to the development of the state.

Sukhbir addressed public meetings at various villages including Fattha, Maloka, Jhanduke, Hireke, Choutian, Kanhnewala, Ranjitgarh Bandar, Foosmandi, Sangha, Jhanda Khurd, Sardoolewala and Sardoolgarh.

He appealed to the people not to miss the chance for the development of the state. The issues related to basic facilities such as electricity, drinking water and irrigation were being resolved and people would witness a revolutionary change in this regard in the coming days, he assured.

Due to the welfare schemes of the SAD-BJP government, 16 lakh families of the state have been availing of the benefits of "Atta-Daal" scheme, he informed.

The deputy CM alleged that the Congress and its candidates were not interested in the welfare and development of people.

SAD general secretary, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, SAD district president Harbant Singh Datewas and the youth leader Gurpreet Singh Banawali also spoke at the public meetings. 

Bathinda, March 28
Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the SAD (B) candidate for the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, today launched a frontal assault on her rival Raninder Singh, the Congress candidate, for describing him as his elder sister. “As of now, he is not in power. So, he has been calling me his sister. But he has forgotten the days when his father was in power and made his best efforts to put my whole family behind the bars.”

Harsimrat was here to address a rally organised by the backward caste wing of the SAD. She arrived over three hours late. Hira Singh Gabria, a cabinet minister, was also present on the occasion, among others.

Despite being a greenhorn in politics, Harsimrat fielded queries with aplomb.

Replying a query related to the clean chit given by the CBI to Jagdish Tytler, who was accused of instigating the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, she said, “In the Congress regime, every thing is possible. But by giving him a clean chit and projecting him the party candidate, the Congress has hurt the sentiments of the Sikhs. Moreover, I have come to know that a lot of witnesses were not even examined just to shield him.”

When asked about the allegation regarding the use of police as a tool in the election campaign, she said, “What else can be expected from Raninder Singh who has no agenda. So we are not bothered about his baseless allegations.”

“My father-in-law, who is the chief minister, and my husband, the deputy chief minister, both are busy supporting all the party’s candidates for the Lok Sabha. So, I do not require their presence in my constituency and I would feel happy if they put the whole burden on my shoulders.”

Apologising for arriving late at the function, she said she was overwhelmed by the love and support she has been receiving from the people. “Wherever we go, we run out of siropas, but the beeline of supporters never ends.”

She refused to mix her “Nanhi Chhan campaign’ with politics, saying, “I am contesting the elections to serve people. The Nanhi Chhan also has a social basis. But it is not meant to gain political benefit. So, it is not right to mix both.”

Sidelights

After a long wait, a number of women left the hall without having a glimpse of the leader, as it was time to cook dinner back home

Most of the speakers were addressing Harsimrat Kaur as Simratjeet Kaur

To catch the attention of those present, former SAD minister Charanji Lal Garg was seen waving and dancing in the hall

SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bahia, referred to Sikander Singh Maluka as the chairman of the District Planning Board, while Maluka is chairman of the planning committee

Moga, March 28
The election campaign in Punjab is picking up and personal rivalries of the voters at the grassroot level too have started surfacing with many of them rushing to the Election Commission (EC) with vague complaints against each other that has increased the burden of work on the administrative machinery.

Some of the complaints have nothing to do with the process of elections but the EC officials at Chandigarh and New Delhi mark them to the district officials concerned without going into the specific nature of contents.

Once the complaint, irrespective of its nature, reaches the office of the District Magistrate, the official machinery springs into action, enquires into the matter and files a reply back within the stipulated time-frame.

Bhupinder Singh, son of Inder Singh, a resident of Himmatpura village, filed a complaint before the EC that some influential persons in his village, close to the ruling SAD, had manipulated in league with the local SDM in a land dispute case, after the implementation of the model of conduct, the verdict of which was against him. The complainant has demanded from the EC that the verdict be revoked and action be taken against the SDM.

The District Development and Panchayat Officer, Joginder Kumar, who has been assigned the task to look into the complaints, said it had nothing to do with the process of elections but still he has to look into it and write a satisfactory reply and forward it to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

Interestingly, another funny case has reached the district authorities here in which Beant Singh, sarpanch of Bhinder Khurd and the panchayat members had jointly lodged a complaint that an alleged drug peddler of the village, Dayal Singh, bought a buffalo from one Jagseer Singh, a resident of the same village and took him along for receiving payment but instead framed him in a criminal case under the NDPS Act.

Though District Magistrate Satwant Singh Johal had already asked the SSP to re-look into the matter, even then, a complaint was sent to the EC. Now, the authorities are busy looking into the nature of the complaint to file a reply to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

Similarly, Kirpal Singh, a resident of Datewala village, has lodged a complaint before the EC to ban the protests by employee unions and federations as they were creating nuisance outside the administrative complex here. Although, this complaint has some weight because such protests could also influence the voters but there is nothing to enquire into and seek a formal reply from the district administration.

There were reports that one such 'vague' complaint has been coming to the office of the District Magistrate everyday for the past about one week for inquiry. A district official was of the view that the EC should first look into the nature of the complaint and if it appears to be vague, then it should not be forwarded for inquiry. Moreover, routine work in the offices has already been affected due to the model mode of conduct. Therefore, vague complaints just add to the woes of the people who face difficulty in getting their work done.

Chandigarh, March 28
It is going to be a no-holds-barred campaign in Bathinda, where the SAD has an advantage of showcasing development undertaken in the city, a promise of more development if Harsimrat Badal comes to power, appeal to women, who constitute nearly half of the 13.30 lakh electorate besides the appeal of CM Parkash Singh Badal who still commands respect in the region.

On the other hand, Congress candidate Raninder has the advantage of grassroot level work undertaken by him in the constituency when he nursed it during the Congress rule in the state. He has the advantage of having Congress legislators in seven of the nine Assembly segments. The Congress is also confident to get support of the Dera Sacha Sauda despite SAD efforts ensuring dera supporters not vote en bloc to the Congress. Raninder also has the advantage of 22 Sidhu Jat Sikh villages referred to as “baiyya” most of which fall in Nathana segment and are known to be inclined to his family.

Political analysts claim that the towns, particularly Bathinda, with a population of 1.70 lakh and Mansa with 1.50 lakh are important. The towns have been known to be partial to the Congress, but in Bathinda the dynamics have changed partially due to development undertaken in the city during the SAD-BJP rule.

Punjabis being Punjabis, they can vote for pure emotion. The Congress will try to make it Amarinder versus Sukhbir and hark back to “Amarinder times”. The SAD would like to bank on the legacy of the CM, who has done much for his Assembly segment Lambi, that is part of the constituency and the “dynamic” leadership of Sukhbir. The contestants seem to play second leads.

Abohar, March 28
The farmers from Dhaani Chiragh and adjoining areas again blocked the sewerage water channel by putting sand bags on Saturday to prevent the flow of water from the main sewerage disposal works here.

The blockade would continue for three days and an agitation would be launched if the authorities fail to find an acceptable solution, the farmers warned. The administration, being busy in making arrangements for the visit of the Chief Minister, slated for Sunday, none intervened today.

While squatting near the channel, the farmers said 1400 acres of prime agricultural land located on the outskirts of the town had been affected by the sewerage water in the last two years. “We agreed to dispense with our land for construction of the channel, when the Congress was in power in the state. While releasing Rs 3 crore for construction of the 3-km long channel, the government promised to extend it in a phased manner. The farmers were told after the formation of the SAD-BJP government that Rs 9 crore plan for extending the channel had been granted but it was not so. The authorities had recommended that the length of the channel should be increased to 12 km to dispose of the surplus water in the Sayyedwala drain. If the CM can grant Rs 100 crore for the development of Bathinda town in a year, why can’t he spare Rs 9 crore to save this town and fields in the surrounding areas, another farmer questioned.

The affected farmers regretted that unwanted sewerage water had not only created health hazards for their families but also for the cattle. The farmers have decided to meet the CM during his maiden election visit tomorrow. 

Bathinda, March 28
Shamsher Singh Surjewala, national president, Kisan-Khet Mazdoor Congress (KKMC), today demanded modification in agricultural laws. He also urged the Central government not to auction the land of debt-ridden farmers. He was here along with Kuljit Singh Nagra, state president of the KKMC, to address a ‘Vishal Rosh Rally’.

Surjewala further demanded that there should be low rate of interest on an agricultural loan i.e. five per cent. For landless peasants, it should be three per cent.

Addressing media, he spoke about a scheme implemented in Haryana to recover the debt from farmers. He said that according to the ‘Chakauta system’, banks leave a part of land with the farmer and utilise the rest or sub-let the same to earn profit.

Replying to a query related to the impurity of diesel and pesticides, he lashed out at the authorities concerned by saying, “They are all hand-in-glove with ‘crooks’. For a long time, we have been demanding change in punishments related to such cases. Those guilty of selling impure commodities to farmers should be penalised with 10 years of imprisonment and the bureaucrats, who shield them, should be awarded life imprisonment.”

Recounting the achievement of the UPA government, he said compensation for agricultural loss, which was around Rs 2 lakh in the NDA regime, had been increased to Rs 20 lakh per acre.

Meanwhile, Nagra flayed ruling Badals for using pictures of their family members on the bonus cheques of the Union government while not coming forward to award the similar bonus on their part to farmers in the state.

Among others, Harminder Singh Jassi, MLA Bathinda, Tehal Singh Sandhu, secretary PPCC, Narender Singh Bhaleria, district president, local leaders Ashok Kumar and K.K. Aggarwal also addressed the gathering.