Akalis hold historic Rally in Delhi
REGIONAL PARTIES TO DETERMINE THE SHAPE OF CENTRAL GOVT:
BADAL
Akalis role decisive in forming next govt: Sukhbir
Chandigarh, August 2, 2008
The Shiromani Akali Dal today called for re-casting
the country's constitutional and political framework along genuinely
federal lines, with greater fiscal autonomy and more political
powers to the States, in order to fight poverty, illiteracy and
economic inequalities in the country.
Prominent Akali leaders like Punjab Chief Minister
Parkash Singh Badal, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, former
Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Prem Singh Chandumajra,
Delhi Akali Dal president, Manjit Singh GK, former Delhi Akali
Chief Avtar Singh Hit and General Secretary Onkar Singh Thapar
addressed the rally at New Delhi that lasted nearly three hours.
The turn out at the rally saw lacs converge on
the Jail Road and is believed to be the largest gathering of Punjabis
in living history. The massive show of strength enthused the party
leaders and rank and file and the tone and tenor of the gathering
was reflected in the politically significant declarations made
from the stage which portend the emergence of new political trends
on the national scene in the days to come. The rally assumes significance
in view of the forthcoming elections to the Delhi state assembly
as well as the Lok Sabha poll.
Addressing the mammoth Rally, the Punjab Chief
Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and the SAD President Mr. Sukhbir
Singh Badal declared that regional parties including SAD would
play a decisive role in the formation of the next Government at
the center. The Chief Minister declared that his party would contest
the forthcoming assembly poll in Delhi as well as the Lok Sabha
elections on the party symbol. "Punjabis constitute over
sixty per cent of the population in the capital and have a legitimate
democratic right to hold he reigns of administration here. Although
our alliance with the N.D.A. is solid and inviolable, the party
would like to strengthen this alliance through a direct mobilization
of Punjabis all over the country."
The Chief Minister warned that the all prevalent
poverty, unemployment and economic inequalities could destabilize
the Indian polity, resulting in grave law and order problems.
He said that there mounting frustration among youth and quick
and effective measures were necessary to meet the aspirations
of the new generation. Unfortunately, the policy makers in Delhi
were woefully out of touch with ground realties in the country.
"You can not govern such a vast country from air-conditioned
chambers in New Delhi. The polcies of the present rulers are totally
out of sync with the needs of the common man. This has resulted
serious economic crises symbolized by prices and inflation hitting
record levels," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, the SAD president,
Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that his party would spearhead the
campaign for mobilization of regional parties on a national plane.
He said that regional imbalances, especially in matters of development
and devolution of economic powers, had seen the emergence of two
Indias : one that that sleeps on an empty stomach and the other
which does not know what to do with its wealth. "These are
alarming trends for stability and security of the country and
these issues must be addresse4d on an urgent basis." Winds
of federal impulse are blowing throughout the country in favour
of a just dispensation for regional forces in the country. The
days of totalitarian centrist regimes, as symbolized by the Congress
Party, are over. The future of India lies in the hands of patriotic
regional parties like Shiromani Akali Dal," declared Mr.
Sukhbir Singh Badal at the rally. He said that highly centralized
planning and development processes have resulted in total financial
mis-management in the Country, resulting in unprecedented price-
rise and inflation He said that political trends in the country
strongly pointed towards decentralization of political and economic
structure.
Mr. Sukhbir Singh came down heavily against the
Congress Party for consistently doing injustice in Punjab and
Punjabis in General and the Sikhs in particular. He said that
the Punjabis and the Sikhs had made the highest sacrifices as
more than 85 percent of the martyrs and over 90% of those who
went to jails during the freedom struggle were Punjabis. In spite
of this the Congress Governments meted out a step-motherly treatment
to them, in religious political, economic and other spheres.
The SAD President called upon Delhi-its Punjabis
to guard and preserve their Punjabi identity and to remain rooted
in their cultural and religious moorings. He bemoaned that even
more than two decades after Punjabis suffered an unspeakable tragedy
in November 1984, the Delhi as well as the Union governments have
refused to address their basic concerns about punishing the guilty
and providing relief and compensation to the hapless victims.
He said that Punjabi language and culture also continued to be
subjected to utter neglect by the powers that be. "However,
we are determined to change things and for this, we have decided
to mobilize all Punjabis on a common platform."
17 SITES FOR ADARSH SCHOOLS
CLEARED
Chandigarh August 2, 2008
The Adarsh School dream took a solid stride towards realization
with the Punjab Government finalizing 17 locations across the
state for opening 10+2 Schools under the scheme.
A decision to this effect was taken at the 2nd meeting of the
Punjab Education Development Board presided over by the Punjab
Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal which he had with the various
leading corporate houses in country including the Bhatri and Ranbaxy
groups.
Disclosing this today at Delhi Chief Minister's Media Advisor
Mr. Harcharan Bains said that 17 sites had been approved by the
Board out of which six sites had been allotted to the Bharti Foundation-
the educational arm of the Bharti group at Chogawan, Fatubilla
in Amritsar district, Jhorran, Sherpur Kalan and Rauni in Ludhina
district and Jhaneri in Sangrur district. Like wise the Ranbaxy
Foundation- the educational arm of Ranbaxy group had been allotted
five locations at Khilchian, Bundala and Loharka Kalan in Amrtisar
district, Johlan Kalan and Cholta Khurd in SAS Nagar (Mohali)
district. The board also allotted one site to the Educomp Solution
Ltd. New Delhi two for Career Launcher India Ltd. New Delhi and
three for Chief Khalsa Dewan Amritsar. These sites would be selected
by these groups from the options given by them at the time of
application.
The Chief Minister also asked the board to invite expression
of interest by issuing a fresh open ended advertisement in the
leading newspapers to allot the remaining sites to the eligible
corporate houses out of total 108 Adarsh Schools on the 'first
come first basis' keeping in view the overwhelming response to
this scheme as several industrial houses had evinced keen interest
in the promotion of educational sector in the state.
Mr. Badal mentioned that the academic session in three schools
which were being set up by the state government at Chogawan in
Amritsar, Bukan wala in Ferozepur and Bukhariwal in Gurdaspur
districts would begin from April 1, 2009.
The construction of other schools would commence from October
this year and the academic session was likely to commence from
mid of 2009. It was also informed in the meeting that the two
instalments of Rs.4crore each for the month of April and May 2008
had been deposited as an education cess with the Board and the
State Finance Department would soon release a sum of Rs 50 crore
for the functioning of these schools. The Chief Minister reiterated
that the basic theme of the Adarsh School should not be diluted
in any case because the focus of this scheme was to impart free
and quality education to the poor and meritorious students with
rural background. Mr. Badal also underscored the need to open
such more schools in the border and bet areas which were lacking
the basic educational facilities and infrastructure.
Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Education
Minister Dr. Upinderjit Kaur, Member Parliament Mr. Naresh Gujral,
Chief Secretary Mr. R.I. Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister
Mr D.S. Guru, Financial Commissioner Excise and Taxation Mr. S.S.
Brar, Secretary Education Mr.K.B.S. Sidhu, Principal Resident
Commission, Mrs Anjuly Chib Duggal, Special Secretary Education
Mr. Ashok Gupta and Vice Chancellor Punjabi University Mr.Jaspal
Singh.The meeting was also attended by CEO of Bharti Enterprises
Mr. Rakesh Bharti Mittal, CEO Ranbaxy Group Mr. Harpal Singh and
the Ludhiana based eminent educationist Mr. Madan Mohan Vyas.
BADAL VISITS SURJEET'S FAMILY TO EXPRESS
CONDOLENCES
NEW DELHI AUGUST 2, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal accompanied by
his Media Advisor Mr. Harcharan Bains today visited the residence
to Late Veteran Marxist Leader Mr. Harkrishan Surjeet to express
his condolences with the members of the bereaved family on the
demise of great Marxist Leader.
Mr Badal described Mr. Surjeet as 'a great son of Punjab and
heroic figure in Indian politics with an uncanny ability to resolve
seemingly impossible political crisis.' "Throughout his life,
Mr.
Sureet remained an icon of uncompromising simplicity, honesty
and easy accessibility. His personal warmth embraced people from
the entire spectrum of political and social life. Indian politics
greatly is poorer for his absence", said the Chief Minister.
Adding that the pride of every Punjabi in this unmatched son of
the soil transcends political affiliations, said Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister stayed there with Mr. Surjeet's family for
about half an hour and shared heartfelt sympathies with his wife
Smt.
Pritam Kaur, son Mr. Gurchetan Singh and grand son Mr. Sandeep
Singh.
Meanwhile, Member Parliament and Secretary General Shiromani
Akali Dal Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also visited here at the residence
of the Marxist leader to share his grief and sorrow with his family
members.
