Parkash Singh Badal appeals to Narendra Modi to end "discrimination" meted to Punjab

MOHALI: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the "unending saga of discrimination and sheer injustice" allegedly meted out to Punjab by successive Governments at Centre after country's independence.

Badal alleged that despite Punjab's enormous contribution in the country's freedom struggle, safeguarding its security and sovereignty and making it self-reliant in food production, the State has been discriminated against.

Addressing a public gathering after unfurling the national tricolour during a state level function to commemorate the 69th Independence Day here at Government College, 87-year-old Badal lamented that the supreme sacrifices made by brave Punjabis in the pre and post independence era have not yet been duly recognised by the governments at the Centre.

"At the same time we are proud of the stellar role of our valiant soldiers to ensure the safety and security of our countrymen from the external as well as internal aggression besides the rare feat of the hard working farmers towards the food bowl of India," he said.

Badal recalled "how our state was deliberately deprived from justice on the legitimate territorial issues including the transfer of Chandigarh and Punjabi speaking areas to Punjab and sharing of river waters on the basis of universally accepted riparian principles".

Apart from these, the five-time Chief Minister also pointed out "how the state's industry was ruined gradually after granting liberal concessions and incentives to the industry in the neighbouring states".

He appealed to the Prime Minister to bail out the distressed peasantry in this hour of crisis as it was now feeling totally dejected and thus called for tangible solution to end their woes immediately and make agriculture far more profitable and economically viable occupation to sustain their livelihood.

He said, "what to talk of rewarding the hapless farmers for their hard work and sincerity in attaining national food security, rather the poor peasantry has been blatantly ignored by the Central Governments at helm of affairs one after another since independence and none bothered to secure their interests."

Seeking direct and personal intervention of the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister urged Modi to immediately take a call on these issues to end an era of despair and agony confronted by the beleaguered peasantry thereby formulating pro-farmer policies to boost their morale.