In Patiala, Badal avoids touching local issues

Thursday, 14/08/2014

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PATIALA: With a Hindu face contesting Patiala byelections for the first time on SAD-BJP ticket, Punjab chief minister Prakash Singh Badal, on his maiden appearance during election campaign, spoke about communal harmony instead of touching on local issues.

Since the announcement of the Patiala bypoll, Badal addressed the two gatherings in the city on Wednesday in favour of party candidate Bhagwan Dass Juneja.

However, during his speeches, Badal neither talked about the city’s poor development nor blamed Congress candidate Preneet Kaur and her husband Captain Amarinder Singh for ignoring the constituency.

Comparing his party’s governance to that of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the legendary Sikh ruler, Badal said the SADBJP alliance was a non-believer of religious or caste-based discrimination.

“Like Maharaja Ranjit Singh had people from all religions in his government, 10 of our total MLAs are Hindus, one is from the Muslim community and 22 are from minority classes; and all working together maintaining communal harmony,” said Badal, addressing the people at Model Town.

Slamming the Congress for dividing the community, Badal said “Hindu-Sikh riots and tensions in the past were the results of Congress’ ‘divide and rule’ policy.”

Meanwhile, when questioned about not holding a single Sangat Darshan in Patiala in the past six years, Badal reiterated that the state government had given over ` 115 crore for Patiala’s development in the past years.

“Sangat darshan is not everything. It is just a means of listening to people’s grievances. Once the bypolls are over, I will personally visit every ward and do the needful for the development of the respective areas,” he said.

Responding to allegations of focussing more on the Talwandi Sabo bypoll, he denied and said there were still plenty of time before campaigning ended and that he and other leaders would leave no stone unturned to canvass in favour of Bhagwan Dass Juneja.

“What will Preneet do even if she wins? She can’t even bring a bag of gravel for the city’s development as it is us that can develop the city in our remaining tenure of two and half years,” he said.

Minsiters of state Anil Joshi, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Surjit Singh Rakhra and Surjit Kumar Jyani were also present on the occasion.

Late in the evening, the chief minister also addressed the rally at Ghaas Mandi, which was organised by former minister Surjit Singh Kohli.

PARAMILITARY, ITBP, BSF TO BE DEPLOYED

SSP Hardial Singh Mann said, “To maintain law and order, four companies of Border Security Force (BSF) and a company of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will be deployed in the city.” In addition, seven companies of Punjab Police and its armed units will be placed in and around the constituency.