Harsimrat shifts gears
Whenever she was in villages in her constituency during the SADBJP rule, Union food processing minister Harsimrat Badal used to give orders to officers accompanying her, telling them to take care of problems of people. But things are different now. Out of power in Punjab, she does not have the state machinery at her disposal. The minister realises this and has altered her strategy to focus on social issues. During her first visit to Chak Fateh Singh Wala village, which she adopted under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna, in the new set-up on Saturday, Harsimrat held a special interaction with women. “Women should fight social evils like dowry and female foeticide and stop extravagance during family functions,” she told them. The minister stressed on same issue while addressing people on occasion of Akhand Path at a gurdwara in Channu village in Muktsar district. It’s not easy being in opposition in one’s home state after ruling it for 10 years. went well, but the FM did not look to be in agreement. He wanted to speak but the press conference was cut short as Kumar had to take the evening Shatabdi Express to Delhi. When Kumar sat in the car to leave, the minister said the Centre cannot victimise the state in the name of national food security. He was apparently upset over the Niti Aayog VC’S response to the state’s demand for a bailout package. Kumar asked them to make own arrangements to bring peasantry out of red. The state officers were also in “a state of shock”, telling the scribes to seek answers from policymakers. Ashok Khemka. The two senior IAS officers justified their decision on social media. Sharan wrote on a Whatsapp group: “It is a personal choice, I didn’t wear it. I will wear when a similar protest is lodged against a ruling party MLA of our state……….are we planning a similar protest for retired IAS officer, SS Dhillon”. Khemka later tweeted: “IAS associations’ support for Delhi CS is an appreciable digression from usual stony silence. They should also speak up on more pressing national issues which affect general populace directly”. minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda whose differences with Tanwar are well-known. Hooda supporters want him as the state unit chief and have been skipping Tanwar’s meetings. “The Congress allows disagreements, but finally we all are brothers,” he said in response to rallies being held separately by the two groups – ‘Rath Yatra’ by Hooda and ‘Cycle Rally’ by Tanwar. “Tanwar bhai hai hamara usse ‘Cycle Rally’ ka kaam de rakha hai aur hum Rath Yatra nikalenge. Lekin, hum ek hain,” he said.