CHANDIGARH India: Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Bansi Lal launched an onslaught on the opposition particularly against the Lok Dal accusing them of being antinational and trying to disintegrate the country through sectarian and communal polities. Addressing the first ever public meeting in the state in his home town after taking over as the Chief Minister and as part of the ruling party’s mass contact program he declared that the casteist slogans would not be allowed to be raised in the state and assured full protection to the minorities especially to the Sikhs “I will protect every Sikh in the state” he said He lashed out at the Haryana Lok Dal President Mr. Devi Lal whose policies have alienated the Jats from the national mainstream again Referring to the Venkatramiah report on the territorial issue he said that his government accepted the report in the national interest and to keep the country united. He said that the state would get a new capital at the cost of the center apart from the transfer of 70000 acres of Punjab land to Haryana in lieu of Chandigarh. This would generate employment in the state. At the same time he said that water was more important to Haryana and expressed the hope that state would get its full share of water from Punjab rivers through the Eradi Commission he maintained that the interests of the state were safe in the hands of the Prime Minister Mr Rajiv Gandhi.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 4, 1986
