Accusing the Congress of instigating the Sikh community to take over the control of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC),Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal warned the Congress against interfering in the religious matter of the Sikhs. He was addressing a political conference of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Talwandi Sabo on the occasion of Baisakhi on Wednesday. Earlier,talking to mediapersons,the CM said he did not want to comment on the IAS officer who has sought premature retirement due to mental trauma and humiliation. He,however,said, He should have come to me if he had any problem. I dont know why has he taken such a step when his retirement is due in September. Meanwhile,hitting out at the Congress for doing little in their more than 60 years of rule,Badal said he had taken up the issue of strengthening of the canal system in the state. The CM said efforts were afoot to bring back the industry in the state. He added the government had made huge strides in improving the education scenario in the state by opening up new educational institutes at various levels. Badal said the work on proposed thermal plants was in full swing and it would help overcome the power shortage in state.Speaking on the occasion,Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal blamed Congress for shielding the culprits responsible for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and asked the party to be sincere and honest in bringing the guilty to the book. Expressing concerns over the menace of drugs,Sukhbir said whenever he got a chance he waged a war against drugs and seizures of huge consignments of drugs in the current regime were a testimony to that. The SAD adopted a unanimous resolution to urge the Centre to pursue the case of the 17 Indians facing death sentence in UAE. Apprehending fall in the production of wheat this year due to the heat wave,a resolution demanding a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal on wheat was also passed. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar,Akali leaders Sikandar Singh Maluka,Tota Singh,Jagdip Singh Nakai,Balwinder Singh Bhunder,Prem Singh Chandumajra and Gurdev Singh Badal were among others who were present on the occasion. Cong leaders give the conference a missNone of the senior leaders of the Congress,including Capt Amarinder Singh,Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Mohinder Singh Kaypee,were present at the political conference here on Wednesday. The Congress leaders in their speeches hit out at the ruling SAD-BJP government for unleashing a reign of atrocities on Congress workers by registering false cases against them. The leaders also lashed out at the government for failing to deliver for the welfare of state people. Budhlada MLA Mangat Rai Bansal dared the Deputy CM to have a one-on-one kabaddi match with him at Banawali and said whoever loses the match should resign. Among those who were present included MLAs Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu,Makhan Singh,Ajit Inder Singh Mofar,Mangat Rai Bansal and Darshan Singh Brar. Ramoowalia may visit Dubai to ensure release of 17 IndiansIn the Lok Bhalai party conference,family members of Indians facing death row in the UAE were present along with Balwant Singh Ramoowalia,who said he would visit Dubai soon to explore the possibilities for release of Indians in the case.
