Strongly condemning Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s statement in which he equated JNU student leader Kanhayia Kumar with Bhagat Singh, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday demanded that the Congress give its views on the issue saying it “reflects the real thinking of the party”.
Talking to media persons after addressing the political conference organised to mark the Martyrdom Day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev at Khatkar Kalan, he said that his party would soon write to the Centre to award ‘Bharat Ratna’ to Bhagat Singh.
Speaking in Ferozepur, Mr. Badal advocated ‘Bharat Ratna’ for Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh, saying it will be a real tribute to the great martyr.
He inaugurated the ‘Amar Shahed Jyoti’ at Hussainiwala.
The International Airport at Mohali would be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh as both Punjab and Haryana governments had given consent for this and the Centre has already taken a decision in this regard, Mr. Badal claimed.
He said it’s a matter of great pride that out of total sacrifices in freedom struggle, contribution of Punjabis was more than 80 per cent and for paying tribute to their sacrifices, the Punjab government is constructing Jang-E-Azadi Memorial in the State.
He denied that the ruling alliance had anything to do with the levelling of charges related to Swiss bank accounts of Capt Amarinder Singh’s family.
“The investigations into the issue were started by Congress government led by PM Manmohan Singh,” he said.
He maintained that the Badal government had always opposed the construction of SYL canal, adding that its approval was given during the Congress regime in the State.
He lambasted Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on the SYL canal issue saying it had “brought out real face of Kejriwal”.
He claimed the State government would provide jobs to nearly one lakh youth in the State in the coming 6-7 months.
“Further, skill centres are being opened in every block to provide skill training in various fields to unemployed youth across the State,” he said. PTI
