Sri Muktsar Sahib/Chandigarh, April 6
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed to the halka incharges as well as leaders and workers of the party to help distressed farmers whose standing wheat crop had been destroyed due to recent hail storms in the State.
Addressing a mammoth rally here besides leading a massive road show as part of the Punjab Bachao campaign of the party which had created a new record, the SAD president said, “just like during the devastating floods last year when the SAD came to the rescue of farmers by distributing fodder, seed and medicines after they were abandoned by the Aam Aadmi Party government, I appeal to party leaders and workers to reach out to the affected farmers and extend help to them as per their need”.
Asserting that the welfare of farmers would be the top priority of the next SAD government, Badal said, “We will offer crop insurance facilities to them to ensure they are adequately compensated in case of any natural calamity”. He also asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann not to shirk his responsibility and immediately release Rs 50,000 per acre to all farmers whose standing wheat crop has been destroyed. “The AAP govt must honour this guarantee which was made in its election manifesto and also amplified by Bhagwant Mann. Surveys can happen later. Farmers need to be provided succor now”, he added.
The SAD president also visited three villages of Bhagsar, Gandhar and Lakhewali where recent hail storms have destroyed standing wheat crops and assured farmers he would do his best to ensure they were given adequate compensation. Badal also took on the chief minister for indulging in empty boasts vis vis power generation. He said Mann should tell if he had established any power plant in the State. He said the truth of the matter was that neither the AAP nor the previous Congress government created any new power generating facilities. “If power is surplus in Punjab today it is because of the erstwhile SAD govt. The chief minister should thank us for this instead of attributing this SAD achievement to himself,” he added.
Badal also talked about how the chief minister never talked about what he had done. “His entire focus is on the Badal family besides indulging in tom foolery. I want to make it clear to him. He may have deceived Punjabis once, but he won’t be able to do this again. I also challenge him to leave his security detail of 500 police personnel and come to the village of his choosing. I will also come alone. Then we will see who is felicitated and who is battered!”
The SAD president also spoke on how in the last two years conspiracies were hatched by central agencies as well as Delhi based parties to strike out at the Badal family. “This was done with the purpose of weakening the SAD. I want to tell such elements that former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal never compromised the interests of Punjab and that I too shall always safeguard the interests of the State and the Panth,” he concluded.
