Sukhbir does away with one-liners

Sukhbir does away with one-liners
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 19
“Gajj Ke Fateh Bulao — Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh,” is what deputy chief minister-cum-SAD (B) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal starts his election speech with.
Immediately after, wasting no moment, he tries to check the pulse of the audience, cursing the Congress for being apathetic towards the problems of commoners despite remaining in power for more than half a century.
Campaigning in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, from where his wife Harsimrat Kaur is contesting the polls, he keeps on saying, "Now, you people have a choice between two families who are representing or have been the chief minister. On the one side, Amarinder Singh had been in power for the last five years and the other, Parkash Singh Badal, who just in the initial two years of his government, has set number of examples of development."
Recounting the development poll plank, he names a number of targets achieved or under progress like, drinking water, Atta-Dal scheme, pension scheme, sewerage projects, power supply, approval of Central University, oil refinery, airport, five-star hotel, roads and various others.
Just after making the claims about his achievements, he says, "Bound by the model code of conduct, I cannot issue any grant but after polls, everything will be yours."
Stepping up his rhetoric against Amarinder further, he says, "He does not know about Bhucho, Goniana, Nathana and other mandis of Bathinda but ask him about Lahore, from where his Pakistani friend Aroosa hails, and he will immediately start narrating even the features of the city."
Speaking of Raninder's home town, Sukhbir said, "Being a Patialavi, he is an outsider, but you know me and my family, which remain with you people 24X7."
Trying to bound all in a spell of sentimentality, he terms the poll fight as not one involving his family but of the "common men against the egoistic kings of Patiala."
During his recent couple of speeches, people have been missing one thing-his sharp one-liners against Captain and his family-- which were quite common in the past.
Before leaving the public meetings, he says, "Finally, I do not want to say anything more but request you to take a paper and pencil in hand and evaluate the candidates and their families and then cast your vote."
One thing that stood out at the rallies of Sukhbir was that almost one-third of the total crowd at all the rallies remained the same.
Many keep following his vehicle and some are so excited that they leave one rally even before it ends and rush to the next venue to ensure a good gathering.

SAD gears up for Assembly polls

SAD gears up for Assembly polls
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal interviewing an elected representative in Bathinda on Wednesday. Also seen in the picture to his right is his wife and MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Bathinda, September 2
With an eye on the next Vidhan Sabha elections, Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (B), today launched a district-wise drive of one-to-one contact with all SAD elected representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies, to give them new responsibilities in the party.
Launching it from Bathinda, Sukhbir Badal, along with a number of party bigwigs, interviewed all the elected representatives of Bathinda and Mansa districts category wise at a local banquet hall.
The motive behind the whole exercise is said to be the organisational strengthening of Istri Akali Dal, Akali Dal (Scheduled Caste wing) and Youth Akali Dal.
Leaders of the party had a closed door meeting with workers and noted their suggestions to expand the party base. Further, they were asked to fill up a form, giving their personal details and the margin of their victory. Further, they had to give feedback regarding the problems being faced by the common man in the state.
It has also been informed that the crux of the effort would be discussed at a strategy meet of the party, slated to take place at Shimla from September 10.
Though mediapersons were not allowed inside the meeting room, sources in SAD (B) informed that Sukhbir and his MP wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal were among those who interviewed party workers and leaders. Both exhorted party workers members to evolve a two-way communication channel with the masses and make people aware regarding the efforts of the SAD-BJP government being made for their welfare.
After a dialogue with party workers, Harsimrat emphasised that it was imperative for each party worker to be the eye and ear of the party president and give an objective feedback to the party headquarters.
Informing about the motive of the drive, Sukhbir said various wings of SAD (B) were being strengthened at the grassroot level by picking new talent for giving them additional responsibilities of party affairs. Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, MP Faridkot and president, Istri Akali Dal, Gulzar Singh Ranike, cabinet minister, Jagdeep Singh Nakai, chief parliamentary secretary, Daljit Singh Cheema, CM’s advisor and secretary of the SAD (B), Balwinder Singh Bhunder, general secretary of the party, Bikram Singh Majithia, MLA and patron of the Youth Akali Dal and Kiranbir Singh Kang, president of the Youth Akali Dal, were prominent among those who were present.
Setting an example for others, Sukhbir, just after arriving at the meeting venue, directed the authorities concerned to remove all welcome hoardings installed by party workers outside the banquet hall. Within a few minutes, all flex hoardings were removed.
In a recent order passed to officials of the local bodies, Sukhbir had said such hoardings were not only hazardous for traffic as they distracted the attention of the commuters but were also a public nuisance.

SSP told to enquire into Orbit advt Taking exception to an advertisement regarding job opportunities in Orbit Private Company Ltd published in a Punjabi daily on September 1, the owner of the company, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, asked the district police chief to inquire the matter and expose the guilty, who mischievously gave the advertisement. The SSP further marked the inquiry to a sub-inspector rank official. As per the advertisement, people have been invited to get a job in Orbit and earn Rs 11,000-20,000 per month, even working from home. A phone number given in the advertisement remained switched off today. — TNS

Manpreet stickers solicit support

Manpreet stickers solicit support
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 13

The stirring of the political pot in Punjab was all too obvious today in Bathinda and Gidderbaha with excitement being palpable for the much awaited Amritsar rally of Manpreet Singh Badal, slated for Sunday. The event itself has all the makings of a political pot-boiler.
Giving an impression of the election days, a number of vehicles, including private buses and swanky SUVs were seen plying on the roads today, with Manpreet’s stickers pasted on the windshields and the rear of the vehicles.
The colourful stickers (in round shape) carry a picture of Manpreet with a message to the masses to join him at Amritsar on November 14 and urges them to help the state get rid of a number of evils bedeviling it.
Without bothering about the fallout, a number of school and college students had also pasted the stickers on the number plates of their two-wheelers. When asked, one of them said, “I have pasted it to give my bike a different look from the others. It is not just me who has a craze for these stickers but many others have it. It is because of this that people give a second look to the rear side of my bike.”
However, the driver of a bus plying with four such stickers at its rear in Bathinda, said, “It was pasted by Manpreet’s supporters as they have hired the vehicle to reach Amritsar late this evening.”
Speaking over the phone, of Manpreet’s brother-in-law, Jaijeet Singh Jojo, who was looking after Manpreet’s home turf—Gidderbaha assembly constituency, said, “We have got the stickers printed in two lots of 25,000 each. Initially, we felt that the stickers would were much more than required but as more and more people are approaching us for these stickers, it seems as we will run short of them.”
Besides stickers, Manpreet’s supporters have reportedly prepared about 50,000 yellow bands, meant for tying on the wrists and the turbans to give them different sense of identity.
The colour of bands was selected, with an attempt to somehow link it with Shaheed Bhagat Singh, as Manpreet is raising issues related to his ideology. “We have packed the bands in two different sizes of packets—six units for people travelling in cars/jeeps and 60 units for people moving in buses,” said Jojo.
When asked about the response of people in Gidderbaha, Jojo claimed that people were very excited as they had hired dozens of buses and cars on their own.
“It was surprising. When we visited a slum area, people there, who generally ask us to make transportation arrangements to attend the political conference at Muktsar Mela, refused to take a single penny and instead informed us that they had pooled in and hired four buses to reach for the Amritsar rally,” claimed Jojo.
Later, it was informed that to avoid any untoward incident, vehicles carrying Manpreet’s supporters had started leaving from Gidderbaha and Bathinda this evening.

Manpreet did not want Sukhbir as CM: Maluka

Manpreet did not want Sukhbir as CM: Maluka
Rajay Deep/TNS

Bathinda, November 15

Reacting to the perceived utopian wish of Manpreet Singh Badal that “no blood relatives should serve in the same Cabinet”, which was apparently an attack on the ruling father-son duo in the state, a member of the political affairs committee (PAC) of the SAD (B), Sikander Singh Maluka, today said, “It would be better had Manpreet raised the same issue when he was enjoying the portfolio of the finance minister just because of his blood relation with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.”
“Today, I have no hesitation in admitting that when Manpreet was inducted as FM in the state cabinet without any credentials, the party committed a mistake which is being reflected now,” said Maluka.
About the extent of damage that Manpreet’s ‘Jago Punjab Yatra’ will do to the SAD (B) in the coming assembly polls, Maluka said, “It is a part of history that when big guns like Gurcharan Singh Tohra and others opened a front against the SAD (B) , they failed to sustain it politically.”
Replying to another query, the PAC member went ahead saying, “Though he is denying it in front of media but we (the party members) know well that it was Manpreet’s ego because of which he did not want to see Sukhbir Badal as the chief minister and when the time was coming for the big occasion, he created a scene.”
“We have reports that Manpreet is dancing to the tunes of the AICC leaders. But now as a majority of the state Congress leaders too have announced that they do not want him to enter the party, he is left with no other option but to vacillate,” alleged Maluka.
He said further, “Be it a bypoll or general election, I can say it with certainty that even if he contests from Gidderbaha, which Manpreet claims to be his own constituency, he will not even be able to save his surety from being forfeited.”
When asked about the allegations of Congressmen that the maximum atrocities upon their party men were committed in Gidderebaha, that too on the directions of Manpreet and his brother-in-law Jaijeet Singh Jojo, Maluka agreed saying he had the same reports.
“As he was the kin of Badal sahib, many a times, we did not find it reasonable to interfere in his area but now people, including our party workers, are regularly complaining to us,” he claimed.
Manpreet Badal, when contacted, refused to react saying that someone (Maluka) who could not save his own seat in the previous assembly polls could not be expected to assess the reality. However, his aide and former OSD Charanjit Singh said, "Let the time come, we will see whose surety gets forfeited."

Bittu questions Harsimrat on Nanhi Chaan

Nav Inquilab Yatra reaches Bathinda
Bittu questions Harsimrat on Nanhi Chaan
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 15

“Instead of checking the female foeticide menace in Punjab, the Nanhi Chaan programme has just been confined to putting up hoardings and deriving mileage out of it by Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal,” alleged the Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) president, Ravneet Singh Bittu, also an MP from Anandpur Sahib.
On the 15th day of PYC’s Nav Inquilab Yatra (NIY) in Bathinda today, Bittu asked the promoters of the Nanhi Chaan programme to come up with statistical details about the success of the programme along with the details of beneficiaries.
“Just spending crores on the publicity of the project, by inserting advertisements on TV would not serve any purpose. People want something else,” he added.
On the one hand, the ruling party leaders claim to have a penchant for protecting environment and on the other, the state government has no budgetary provision for enhancing the forest cover in the state during this budget year which is in an alarming condition now, Bittu alleged.
Accusing the state government of promoting favouritism, Bittu alleged that some big industrial houses were roped in for programmes like Nanhi Chaan and given benefits in corporate deals with the government.
While addressing the gathering here, Bittu said the cancer problem in Malwa belt had assumed gigantic proportions but the government was still sleeping on the issue. He mentioned the state government’s claim of installing RO systems as a mere gimmick for taking credit as it was being done under the Centre’s flagship programme—the National Rural Health Mission.
Malwa enjoys patronage from the deputy chief minister of the state, still, it is lagging behind in development. “Even after completion of three and a half years of rule, all policies and projects are on papers and nothing is visible on the ground,” the PYC president said.
Showing a number of complaints and applications received from people on the way, Bittu said, “The time has come, now the politicians of the state instead of moving in hi-fi SUVs have to go to every house to personally interact with the people and listen to their grievances.”
Speaking about the Manpreet’s Jago Punjab Yatra, Bittu said, “It would be better if Manpreet had named it ‘Pol Khol Yatra’ and exposed the reality of the ruling Badals.”

Dy CM, Harsimrat review development works in Bathinda, Mansa

Dy CM, Harsimrat review development works in Bathinda, Mansa
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 10
Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal along with his MP wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal today reviewed various projects in the region including the under-construction Banawali Thermal Power Plant.
Starting his day-long tour of Bathinda and Mansa districts, Sukhbir directly reached Rama Mandi, where he held a Sangat Darshan. Reviewing the progress of the sewerage system there, he not only pulled up the officials concerned but also directed the DC Bathinda S Karuna Raju to personally monitor and expedite all development works there.
Further, they visited the under-construction Banawali thermal power plant in Mansa district and enquired about its progress. They expressed satisfaction at the pace of work.
Later, they reached Bathinda and held a meeting with the senior officials of the district, including those of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the Bathinda Development Authority.
Annoyed over the slow pace of the construction company handling the sewerage projects in Bathinda and Mansa districts, Sukhbir asked the Sewerage Board officials-either to expedite the work or cancel their contract and get the work completed at the departmental level. He was also not pleased to learn that a number of posts were lying vacant in all offices and many officials in the district had additional charges, including some in other districts. Finding it to be a main reason for the delay in the completion of projects, he called up the Principal Secretary (Local Bodies) over the phone and asked him to rationalise the posts.
Sukhbir asked the chief administrator of the BDA about the projects related to roads and lights in all mandis of Bathinda and Mansa districts and also the upgradation of the Sports Stadium. He directed the Improvement Trust officials to construct a Rs 15-crore hockey stadium at the Government Rajindra College, Bathinda, which would be designed by the Mandi Board officials.
Earlier, Harsimrat had a meeting with the councillors of the Municipal Corporation here.

Bathinda dist may get textile park

Bathinda dist may get textile park
Rajay Deep/TNS

Natheha (Bathinda), Feb 13

(In front row from left) Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD leader and Rajya Sabha member Balwinder Singh Bhunder, LBP leader Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, CPI leader Dr Joginder Dayal and singer Harbhajan Mann share the dais during an anti-drugs rally held at Natheha village in Bathinda district on Sunday. DIG (Ferozepur range) Harinder SIngh Chahal in whose honour the event was oraganised can be seen standing behind the Deputy CM. Photo by writer

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today announced that the state was in the process of setting up a textile park in Bathinda district so that cotton growers of the region could avail of the gains of value addition.
Among other major projects coming up in the state, Sukhbir mentioned an IT park in Rajpura and a hand tool industry park in Kapurthala, adding that all the three parks would be marketed as power cut-free zones. For the purpose, the Powercom could be a signatory to the agreement to assure 24-hour power supply with a penal clause.
Sukhbir was here to attend a rally against drugs, organised by the residents of Natheha village in the honour of DIG (Ferozepur Range), Harinder Singh Chahal.
Sukhbir lauded Chahal for his efforts against drugs. He said the government was committed to check the drugs menace in the state and following the instructions, the state police had confiscated drugs in huge quantity during the last few months.
Replying to a query about the district rallies of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Sukhbir said, “He is trying to distract people by raising non-issues everyday. Accusing the SAD-BJP combine of not running the government in a healthy way is a mere ploy on Amarinder’s part to gain media attention.”
“Development of the state is my priority; not vendetta or criticism. Moreover, I do not want to waste my time and energy in useless debates with the former CM. If he has any doubts about the development in the state, I have offered him to travel across Punjab on our expenses and get the facts ascertained for himself,” asserted Sukhbir, adding, “it is the public that will judge me and not Amarinder Singh, who had disappeared for the last four years.”
When asked about the controversy around the recruitment of medical officers, which is being termed as the PPSC scam, Sukhbir parried the query saying that the matter was sub-judice and he would not like to comment on the issue.
Sukhbir also evaded the question about the tussle between Director General of School Education Krishan Kumar and Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan. “Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is seized of this matter, so it will be better if he is asked about it,” he said.
Later, Sukhbir visited Muktsar district, where he laid the foundation stones for the Rs 33-crore irrigation rehabilitation projects and a 66-KV sub-station grid at Malan village besides inaugurating the Doda sub-tehsil complex.