LUDHIANA: The former Chief Minister and president of Shiromani Akali Dal president, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, wants the elections to Punjab Vidhan Sabha to be held simultaneously with the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, because according to him, the present Congress government in the state did not enjoy the confidence of the people anit failed to safeguard the interests of Punjab.
Talking to media persons here last Sunday, the Akali Dal supremo remarked that the party had so far not taken any concrete decision about alliance with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections. The Political Affairs Committee of Akali Dal slated to meet in Chandigarh on December 12 will discuss the issue in detail and take a decision, he added.
He refused to elaborate on the inclination of Akali Dal towards any political party for an electoral alliance or adjustment but made it clear that the goal of his party was to defeat Congress in the elections and every possible effort would be made.in this direction. Asked about the voting rights for Sehajdharis Sikhs (clean-shaven) in the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee elections, Mr. Badal termed it as a ‘nonissue.’ The Minorities Commission has no locus stand on this subject. He further charged the ruling Congress party of politicizing the matter. He remarked that the SGPC was not a political institution, its sole purpose was management of gurdwaras and preaching Sikh religion, so it was wrong to attribute any political motives to this temporal body.
The Akali Dal chief scoffed at a reported statement of Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Harcharan Singh Brar that Akali Dal had opposed the proposal to make Punjabi as official language of Punjab. He said the Akali Dal was committed to safeguarding the interests of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabi at and it was ridiculous the Level such wild allegations against his party. Elaborating on his allegations that the Congress government in Punjab was anti-people and anti-farmer, Mr. Badal said that Punjab farmers were getting Rs20 per quintal less for paddy than their counterparts in the neighboring states, Moreover, the produce was not being procured in a fair manner and milling process was in shambles. Same was the condition of cotton as no government agency had centered the market for its purchase.
He decried that the government had failed to check spurt in prices and growing unemployment and strongly criticized indiscriminate acquisition of agricultural land for industrial purposes and increase in power tariff and service charges.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 15, 1995
