Capt flags off march to Mohali
Tuesday, 05/01/2016
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KHATKAR KALAN (NAWANSHAHR): Expressing solidarity with the movement for naming the Mohali international airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, state Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday flagged off the five-day padyatra of the Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) from Bhagat Singh’s native village Khatkar Kalan.
Capt Amarinder Singh, along with Punjab Youth Congress activists, flagging off a padyatra at Khatkar Kalan in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar on Monday.
The padyatra will culminate at the Mohali airport on January 8. Speaking on the occasion, Amarinder said, “The SAD-BJP government has failed to honour legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh by not naming the international airport after him. It is unfortunate that PYC workers have to struggle to get the airport named after the great martyr.”
Amarinder regretted that the BJP governments at the Centre and in Haryana preferred one of their leaders Mangal Sein, who had been an MLA in Haryana, to Bhagat Singh, who had given his life at 23 for the freedom of the country. He also condemned the Punjab chief minister’s alleged silence on the issue.
He congratulated the PYC leaders, especially president Amarjit Lally, for starting the 115-km march saying the entire senior leadership was with them. He hoped that wisdom would prevail on the Prime Minister and he would agree to name the airport after Bhagat Singh.
When reminded of the Haryana government’s stand on the airport being named as the Chandigarh airport instead of Mohali airport, Amarinder said, “If Bhagat Singh’s name is there, Mohali and Chandigarh would cease to be an issue.”
Lally, in his address, said the padyatra was only the first phase of the struggle to get the airport named after Bhagat Singh. Referring to the statements made by some Akali leaders that the government had already announced to name the airport after Bhagat Singh, Lally said the moment it was officially done, the PYC would call off the protest.
“SAD-BJP leaders are misleading people while no official statement has come from the Centre. The SAD led by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has failed to convince its ally, the BJP,” he said,
