Amarinder camp to skip Baisakhi fest
Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service
Talwandi Sabo, April 13
A large gathering of Congress workers associated with party’s Malwa in charge Gurpreet Kangar today decided that they would not participate in the party meeting and rally during the Baisakhi celebrations at Takht Damdama Sahib tomorrow.
Happy harvesting: Youth dressed in festive attire celebrate Baisakhi near Jalandhar on Monday. Photo: Malkiat Singh |
Confirming the development, former PPCC vice-president said, “The utterances of PPCC president Partap Bajwa against former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh are unpardonable. He attempted to humiliate a senior party leader and it has not gone down well with party workers. We participate in the event in large numbers every year. This year also, we arranged more than 100 buses. But, now we will not go there.”
Kangar was reacting to Bajwa’s statement that Capt Amarinder Singh was trying to block installation of Rahul Gandhi as the party president.
Hundreds of “Nihangs” riding horseback, clad in their traditional martial attire, have lent a unique colour to the Baisakhi mela here which is witnessing a huge public gathering. People are coming here from different parts of the country to participate in the festivities to mark the installation of the Khalsa Panth.
Local MLA and main organiser of the SAD Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu said, “The venue at the Dewan Hall, behind the gurdwara on the Takht complex, has been neatly laid out to accommodate around 20,000 persons. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Union Cabinet Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal are expected to address the gathering.”
PPCC president, Partap Bajwa said, “We will speak against the land acquisition Bill. The government in the process of doing away with the Food Corporation of India was directly harming the farming community. The Centre wants to shift the entire control of food production, besides processing, to the business class. We will not let that happen.” CLP leader Sunil Jakhar said, “I will not be able to make it to the event.”
Saying the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) will not participate in the mela, party president Manpreet Badal said, “Since party workers remained busy with the Dhuri election, we will prefer giving Baisakhi festivities at the Takht a miss this year also.”
AAP is expecting state party in charge Sanjay Singh to lead the function. Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann said, “We want people ask acche din kabb aayange?”
