MINISter uPSet oVer NAMeS of BADAlS
dera baba nanak (Punjab) — A massive political slugfest was played out on Monday in full public view, shoving protocol to the side in the presence of Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, as political leaders from opposing sides in Punjab bared it at what was meant to be solemn celebration related to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara corridor project.
Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday laid the digital foundation stone of a road project that will link the Kartarpur corridor (in Pakistan) by pressing a button.
The actual foundation stone was removed by the authorities just three hours before the event after Punjab cabinet Minister and local legislator Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa objected to the names of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal and Union Minister Harsimrat Badal on the foundation stone.
A clearly upset Randhawa announced that he would ‘boycott’ the foundation stone ceremony and even put black tape on the stone where the names of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Punjab PWD Minister Vijay Singla and his own (Randhawa) were put on the foundation stone along with the names of the Badals.
Officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), sensing that the situation could get unpleasant in the presence of dignitaries, removed the foundation stone and replaced it with the digital one.
The foundation on the screen carried the names of Vice President Naidu, Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Though the ceremony was to celebrate the approval of the governments of India and Pakistan to allow the Kartarpur corridor to enable people to pray at the gurdwara in Pakistan, leaders of the Akali Dal and its ally BJP on one side and Punjab’s ruling Congress on the other not only indulged in running each other down and claiming credit for getting the project cleared but even raised slogans > Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday laid the digital foundation stone of a road project that will link the Kartarpur corridor (in Pakistan) by pressing a button.
> the actual foundation stone was removed just three hours before the event after Punjab cabinet Minister and local legislator Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa objected to the names of former CM Parkash Singh Badal, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Union Minister Harsimrat Badal on
against each other in the presence of the Vice President.
Harsimrat Badal, in her address at the function, took a dig at the Congress leaders over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. There was immediate sloganeering against her by Congress leaders and activists.
When Gurdaspur MP and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar was giving his vote of thanks, he hit the foundation stone.
> randhawa had announced that he would ‘boycott’ the ceremony and even put black tape on the stone where the names of CM Amarinder Singh, Punjab PWD Minister Vijay Singla and his own (Randhawa) were put on the foundation stone along with the names of the Badals.
> finally, the foundation on the screen carried the names of Vice-President Naidu, Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore, Amarinder Singh and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The Badals have no contribution in getting the Kartarpur corridor project cleared. They are only trying to take credit (for the Kartarpur corridor) just because they (Akali Dal) have an alliance with the BJP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa,
Punjab Minister
back at the Akali Dal leadership by making Punjab a drugs hub. This led to protests and sloganeering by Akali Dal leaders, including Harsimrat’s brother and former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.
Earlier, Randhawa was seen speaking and gesturing angrily to officers making while they made arrangements for the high-profile function. The minister, the Congress legislator from Dera Baba Nanak, was visibly disturbed and shouted at officers. He later told a TV channel: “I will not boycott the function but I will boycott the foundation stone itself. I cannot see my name and those of my ministerial colleagues along with the Badals.”
The minister was also upset that the Congress leadership in Punjab, including him (as the local minister and legislator), Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar (the Punjab Congress President) and cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu were being deliberately ignored for the function while all attention was being given to the Badal family. —