SADBHAVNA RALLY TODAY
Monday, 23/11/2015
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/
Regaining trust a daunting task for Akalis - Sukhbir to hardsell development agenda, ‘expose’ Oppn parties
Chandigarh : The real politick is catching up fast in Punjab. With the Akali-BJP beginning the first phase of “Sadbhavna” rallies from tomorrow, they will be sounding the poll bugle for the state Assembly elections due in January 2017.
Faced with a massive anti-incumbency of over eight years, the Akalis are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that their rallies that begin from tomorrow in Bathinda talk mostly of the party’s development agenda and “expose” its two main opponents, the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party as being hand in glove with Sikh leaders who used November 10 congregation to promote their “secessionist” agenda.
Other than a huge contingent of the Punjab police that will be guarding the venue of the rally tomorrow, another 10,000 activists of the Student Organisation of India and Youth Akali Dal have been requisitioned to be deployed inside the pandal and ensure that no untoward incident takes place.
Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, known for mobilising people and organising big rallies, is personally overseeing the arrangements to make it a huge success to defy the public perception of Akalis being rejected by people, especially in the Malwa region.
In fact, the decisions of the Cabinet where sops of over Rs850 crore were okayed last week as well as Sukhbir’s move to slam the Congress in Delhi yesterday can all be seen in light of how the Akali Dal government is once again trying to serenade the masses and win their trust.
The party also held parleys with its alliance partner BJP and has ensured that the two political allies put up a joint show before the public tomorrow and in all other such rallies. The government will be hard-selling its development agenda and accusing the Congress leaders of supporting Sikh activists who raised the issue of Khalistan.
The decision to hold the first two rallies in Malwa is part of the Badal’s age-old tactics of first retreating and then jumping head-on in the (political) battle field. For almost two months, Malwa has been on the boil for the past three months —- first with farmers’ agitation and then with Sikh activists taking to the streets following several sacrilege incidents.
The public anger against the poor governance manifested in these protests, which became stronger because of the emotional anger caused by hurt religious sentiments. “Tomorrow’s rally will again change the course of politics towards development,” claims Sukhbir.
It is learnt that almost 2,000 buses have been requisitioned to ferry supporters from Bathinda and surrounding districts to the rally venue.
2 months on, CM back at his native village
Muktsar: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal arrived at his native village Badal in the Lambi Assembly segment after a gap of more than two months. This is his first visit to his native place since the state started witnessing sacrilege incidents. All this while he stayed mostly in Chandigarh and attended only a few events in the state. Even the Congress had targeted Badal for his “long absence” from the area. SAD president and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal too reached the village from Delhi. Both CM and Deputy CM met SAD activists and public at their camp office.
Deputy CM reviews arrangements
Bathinda: Akali Dal president and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal on Sunday oversaw arrangements for the “Sadbhavna” rally. He alleged the “unholy alliance” of the Congress and radical forces had tried to disturb the hard-earned peace in the state, but they stood exposed. The party had appealed to the President to take action against the Congress, he said. He said Punjabis dedicated to the cause of peace and harmony would flock to the ‘Sadbhavna’ rally on Monday. He claimed the enthusiasm party supporters would put across a firm message to anti-Punjab elements that Punjabis stood for development, promotion, peace and harmony.
Harsimrat may skip Bathinda rally
Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur has not yet arrived at her native place. Sources close to the ruling family say she is likely to skip the rally. “We are not aware whether she (Harsimrat) will come or not for tomorrow’s rally,” a source said. The district administration too does not have any prior intimation of Harsimrat’s visit. The rally is being held in Harsimrat's parliamentary constituency. She has been twice elected as MP from Bathinda, in 2009 and 2014.
Radicals’ bandh call
Amritsar: Abiding by the Punjab bandh call of "interim jathedar" Dhyan Singh Mand, his supporters are all set to block the main roads in various districts on Monday. They said they would not implement the bandh in the internal areas of the towns. SAD (Amritsar) general secretary Jarnail Singh Sakhira said they did not intend to disrupt normal life in the cities. "We will block the GT roads and the roads leading to outer areas such as Ajnala, Tarn Taran and Harike. Our focus will be to disrupt bus service leading towards Bathinda where the Akalis have scheduled their rally. It is a reciprocal gesture as they restricted people from coming to Sarbat Khalsa on November 10," he said.
