Punjab marks Republic Day; CM Badal wows to fight social evils

MOHALI: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today appealed to all the political parties, NGOs, voluntary and social organisations to launch a crusade against the social evils, especially the drug menace, during his address to mark the 66th Republic Day celebrations here.

Badal said the decisive battle against the social maladies such as drug addiction, female foeticide, environmental pollution, unemployment, illiteracy and economic disparity should be fought.

Addressing a gathering after unfurling the national tri-colour on the occasion of country's 66th Republic Day at a State level function in Government College here, he appealed people to "rise above petty considerations of party affiliations and trivial interests to make Punjab as the leading state in the country."

87-year-old Badal asked the countrymen "to make a firm resolve on this historic day to make our country secular, republic, democratic and federal to the core so that we can cherish the aspirations of our founding fathers of Indian constitution."

The five-time Chief Minister appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that "for the first time a sincere attempt has been made to demonstrate inclusive development in true spirit by eliciting the views of Chief Ministers of all the states in formulating the policies and programmes in a wide spectrum by scrapping the earlier Planning Commission of India (PCI) and now replacing the same with NITI Aayog.."

He further said that now the Chief Ministers would have far more effective representation.