CAPT AMARINDER FLAYS SAD FOR POLITICISING SENSITIVE ISSUE OF 1984

SAYS KAMAL NATH’S REFERENCE IN NANAWATI COMMISSION REPORT NOT PROOF OF HIS INVOLVEMENT IN 1984 RIOTS
CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 14, 2018: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday slammed Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for politicising the 1984 riots issue following Kamal Nath’s nomination as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister.
Intervening during a call attention motion in the Vidhan Sabha on the issue after it was raised by Akali MLA Bikram Singh Majithia, Captain Amarinder Singh said the law was taking its due course as far as allegations against the veteran former union minister were concerned.
The fact of the matter was that Kamal Nath had been Central Minister for more than 10 years after the allegations first surfaced, Captain Amarinder Singh pointed out, adding that a mere reference about the senior Congress leader in the Nanavati Commission report could not be construed as his involvement in the case. The law alone could decide the role of any individual, the Chief Minister said, adding that nobody should exploit this sensitive issue of the 1984 riots for their political ends.
The Chief Minister also showed pictures of Parkash Singh Badal presenting a bouquet to Kamal Nath and Sukhbir Singh Badal and Parminder Singh Dhindsa attending a meeting with the former union minister to highlight the fact that the Akali leaders were just trying to politicize the issue for their petty vested interests.

PUNJAB CM ASSURES HOUSE OF EARLY RESOLUTION OF ISSUE OF POTATO PRICE FLUCTUATION
CHANDIGARH: Showing deep concern over the falling prices of Potato crop, the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday assured the House to address this issue on priority, thus expressing his Government’s complete solidarity with the distressed potato growers.
He was intervening on the reply given by Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa on behalf of the Chief Minister, who holds the portfolio of Agriculture, to a call attention notice raised by MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala.
Captain Amarinder Singh said that his Government had already raised with the Union Government the demand for allowing export of potatoes and sugar to Russia, UAE, Iran and Sri Lanka for fetching better prices of these crops. The Chief Minister further pointed out that his Government had sought the personal intervention of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Ministry of commerce and Industries to allow Punjab to export these crops to ensure price stabilisation, as both potato and sugarcane crops were afflicted by wide price fluctuations.
He said that once the Centre gives clearance to the State Government for export of these crops, the farmers would be immensely benefitted in terms of lucrative returns and assured marketability of their produce.
To bail out the potato growers from the current crisis of low price, the Chief Minister also assured that all possible steps would be initiated to enhance the consumption of potatoes especially in the mid-day meal, jails and other government departments, so as to stabilise the prices of the crop.

PUNJAB CM APPEALS TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES NOT TO HOLD CONFERENCES AT SHAHEEDI JOR MEL

CHANDIGARH: Keeping in view the sanctity of the Shaheedi Jor Mel, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday appealed to all political parties not to hold any political conferences during the event.
Neither the Congress party nor the State Government would organise any public function during this solemn occasion at Fatehgarh Sahib, he said.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister Office said that the appeal by Captain Amarinder Singh came in view of the martyrdom day of Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji, the younger Sahibzadas of Tenth Sikh Master Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and his mother Mata Gujari Ji, which should be observed with utmost reverence.
Since it is a solemn occasion it should not be used by vested interests as a platform to gain political mileage, the Chief Minister felt.
The Shaheedi Jor Mel in Fatehgarh Sahib has been held since time immemorial as a mark of respect to eulogize the supreme sacrifice of the sons and mother of the tenth Sikh Guru. However, the people of Punjab felt that it was increasingly becoming a forum for political parties to score brownie points, said the Chief Minister.
Captain Amarinder Singh also appealed to the people, especially political leaders, to offer their tributes to the great martyrs as humble devotees and pay obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum of Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib instead of holding political conferences/rallies.
Notably, this decision was in line with the various path-breaking initiatives taken by Captain Amarinder Singh during his earlier tenure as Chief Minister to restore the sanctity of Shaheedi Jor Mel at Fatehgarh Sahib. These had included simplification of langar, banning of sweets, prohibition of entertainment/amusement games, gambling etc. The Punjab Government led by Captain Amarinder Singh did not hold state level public function last year.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also directed the DGP to take all necessary steps to ensure that law and order is maintained during the three-day Shaheedi Sabha to be held from December 26 to 28 to enable the millions of devotees, who are expected to converge at Fatehgarh Sahib not only from the country but from across the globe, to offer their prayers in a hassle-free manner.

KARTARPUR SAHIB CORRIDOR A BRIDGE OF PEACE, SAYS CAPT AMARINDER, AS HOUSE PASSES RESOLUTION WELCOMING IT’S OPENING
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday appealed to all the political parties to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and harmony in the state, thereby foiling the nefarious designs of Pakistan’s ISI supported terrorism.
Reiterating his Government’s commitment to protecting Punjab from ISI-backed terror, the Chief Minister said that no one would be allowed to push the state back into the black days of terrorism.
He was taking part in the deliberations on a resolution on the opening of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. The resolution was unanimously passed by voice vote.
Captain Amarinder Singh said that the House records its appreciation for the efforts made by the Punjab Government and the Government of India to open the corridor and urged the GoI to ensure completion of all necessary works for its operationalisation well before the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji in November 2019, in keeping with the long pending demand of Punjabis, while ensuring that peace of Punjab is not disturbed in any manner.
Captain Amarinder described the corridor as a ‘Bridge of Peace’ between the people of India and Pakistan.
The Chief Minister further said that it was really a momentous occasion for all, especially the Sikh community, which had been longing for the opening of the corridor in their daily prayers (Ardas) since partition.
The Chief Minister said that he was subjected to a lot of criticism from different quarters, including SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal and president Sukhbir Singh Badal, for his unequivocal stand on Pakistan Army’s persistent efforts to revive militancy in Punjab. Without mincing words, Captain Amarinder said, “Do you really think that Pakistan Army is our sympathiser, when it is continuously killing our soldiers at the border with the ultimate aim of destabilising the border state.”
The Chief Minister called upon all the political parties to be wary of Pakistan Army’s ulterior motive to revive terrorism in Punjab through ISI backed stooges, which was evident from the fact that several terrorist modules had been neutralised and from the arrest of numerous operatives, besides seizure of large hauls of ammunition and narcotics.

Captain Amarinder Singh said that his grandfather Maharaja Bhupinder Singh undertook kar sewa of Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara from 1920-1929 after it was badly ravaged by the floods in river Ravi.
Likewise, his Grandfather also performed sewa of the historic Gurdwara Panja Sahib and Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sri Nankana Singh as a part of his family’s rich legacy, devotion and reverence towards Guru Ghar. Carrying this tradition forward, the Chief Minister said he too was fortunate to be undertaking this pious project during his lifetime.
He also reiterated his announcement, which he made during foundation stone laying ceremony at Dera Baba Nanak, that he would be part of the first Jatha to offer prayers at Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, where Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji spent nearly 18 years of his life.
During the discussions, Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, SAD MLAs Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia, Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, Congress MLAs Raj Kumar Verka, Harminder Singh Gill, AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu, Kultar Singh Sandhwan and BJP MLA Som Parkash also supported the resolution.