AMRITSAR: The Punjab Finance Minister, Dr. Kewal Krishan, has termed the reported statement of the Akali Dal president, Parkash Singh Badal, that honoring the avengers of attacks on the Golden Temple was a Sikh tradition, as one of double standards and said that it showed how much of a moderate the Akali Dal leader really was.

Addressing a press conference here recently, the finance minister said that Badal’s statement was meant to befool the people and termed it as “irresponsible.” He said that he would now like. to ask the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders as to why they thought of a person with whom they were planning an electoral alliance..

Dr. Kewal Krishan, who was here to attend the District Planning Board and District Grievances Commence meetings said that Rs 150 crore had been sanctioned for flood relief works in the state and emergency steps were under way to repair the roads and flood protection works damaged in the recent floods that hit parts of the state. He aid that a loss of over Rs 40 crore had been reported due to the floods.

Dr. Kewal Krishan said that the “galiara” scheme was expected to be completed by March 31, next year, in consultation with the SGPC and others connected with the project. Meanwhile in Guruaspur, the Punjab farmers have made a profit of Rs 500 crore due to the increased rates of their crops during the Congress rule in the state. This was stated by Dr.. Kewal Krishan, recently, while ad- dressing a gathering of about 8,000 farmers at the Kisan Mela held at the Regional Research Center, Punjab Agricultural University, Gurdaspur.

The minister said that the Punjab State Electricity Board gave the farmers a subsidy of Rs 600 crore annually, keeping in view their dependence on power for cultivating land. He further said that the state government had been giving a subsidy of Rs 300 crore on fertilizers, pesticides etc. He said that it was only the Punjab Government that had fixed the rate of Rs 72 per quintal for sugar cane. He praised the farmers for contributing 70% of the central pool of food grains. He welcomed the announcement made by the Central Agricultural Minister, Dr. Balram Jakhar, regarding the decision of making agriculture an industry. He urged the scientists to con- duct research on ways to increase the yield. He said that the farmers would be provided free university literature on agriculture. He announced a grant of Rs 25,000 to the PAU Ludhiana to distribute free literate to the farmers assembled at this Mela. But the PAU employees charged full rates for the literature.

The PAU Vice Chancellor, Dr. Amarjit Singh Khehra, said that the PAU would soon start short-term courses in Business Management for the farmers to educate them in marketing their produce. He advised them to adopt bookkeeping, diary, preparing hybrid seeds, cultivating vegetables, flowers and fruits. He stressed upon the need of setting up Agro based industry in the state. Various agricultural experts delivered lectures and answered questions put to them by the farmers regarding problems in farming.

Resolution

Condemning the abduction of Jaswant Singh Khalra and urging his release

Whereas Jaswant Singh Khalra, the General Secretary of the Human Rights Wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal, was abducted from outside his home in Amritsar, Punjab, on September 6, 1995; Whereas Amnesty International reported Mr. Khalra was abducted by Indian police officers; Whereas Indian policy officers have refused to reveal the whereabouts of Mr. Khalra;

Whereas Mr. Khaira was instrumental in exposing the fact that 25,00X) Sikhs have been cremated in Punjab, Khalistan as part of the Indian Government’s efforts to destroy evidence of a campaign of extrajudicial killings;

Whereas Mr. Khaira has led a strong international campaign to educate people on the continuing hence perpetrated against civilians in India:

Whereas it is believed that Mr Khalra’s abduction and arrest are a result of his efforts to bring human rights concerns in India to the attention of the international community.

Whereas Amnesty International has issued an urgent action bulletin seeking an independent and impartial inquiry to establish Mr. Khalra’s whereabouts;

Government, discrediting India’s claim to be a democracy.

Whereas Mr. Khalra’s disappearance is part of a pattern of repression carried out by the Indian Whereas freedom is universally recognized as the birthright of all nations:

Whereas self-determination is enshrined in Article 1 of the United Nations Charter, and those, be it

Whereas an independent Sikh homeland is economically, militarily, and politically viable: Now, Resolved. That the House of Representatives joins the World Sikh Organization and its Executive Director Sajjan Bhangoo in condemning the abduction of Jaswant Singh Khaira and urges his immediate Release.  

Article extracted from this publication >> October 6, 1995