At 90, Badal on a spree of meetings to make October 7 rally a success
BATHINDA : Faced with one of his worst political crises after being indicted by Justice Ranjit Singh (retired) commission report for police firing on anti-sacrilege protesters and the banner of revolt raised by some senior party leaders, former chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal, 90, is holding small meetings daily to ensure that the October 7 Patiala rally is a success.
On Thursday, he addressed four meetings in Bathinda district covering Rampura Phul, Bathinda (Rural), Bathinda (Urban) and Bhucho assembly segments. He had addressed similar meetings in Patiala district on Monday and Tuesday and is expected to visit Talwandi Sabo and Maur assembly segments on Friday.
Highlighting the importance of the Patiala rally, in his address in Kotha Guru village under Rampura Phul assembly segment, he said, “This is an important rally. For previous rallies, I never used to go and address meetings requesting for participation.”
‘RALLY ON 3 ISSUES’
He added that the rally was being held on the three issues. These were the Congress’ failure to fulfil its poll promises; the purported threat to communal harmony in the state and the alleged hijacking of zila parishad and block samiti elections by the Congress with the help of the state machinery.
He also supported the demand of the Punjab government from central government to provide ₹100 per quintal bonus to farmers besides the MSP for paddy crop to manage stubble without burning it. He, however, added that the practice of burning the paddy straw could not be checked by resorting to registering cases and taking punitive action against farmers, but only by providing an alternative.
He said if needed, he would meet Prime Minister on the issue of bringing the posts of Chandigarh DSPs under the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (DANIPS) cadre.