By Babushahi Bureau
Bathinda , July 20: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today asserted that delegation of Shiromani Akali Dal leaders has received historic response from Punjabi Diaspora in United States and Canada and a very few people opposing the delegation are basically anti-national and anti-Punjab.
Interacting with media persons before kicking off Rs. 4000 crore civic amenities projects throughout the state from here, Mr. Badal said the people, who were opposing the delegation were very few in number and they just wanted to show their existence through unnecessary protests. He said that it was also very unfortunate that PPCC President Mr. Partap Singh Bajwa was in support of anti-Punjab forces.
On the issue of release of Sikh prisoners from jails, the Deputy Chief Minister also made it clear that the Supreme Court had barred the states to release any prisoner before completion of his conviction. He said the matter was sub-judice and under consideration of constitutional bench of Supreme Court. “Till the final verdict of the apex court no state can decide about the release of any prisoner in any situation, adding he disclosed that the Punjab Government had also filed an appeal in the apex court to decide the issue at the earliest.
Answering a query regarding the proposed land acquisition bill in the Parliament in upcoming session, Mr. Badal said Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal has strongly advocated to adopt Punjab land acquisition act during recent the meeting of Chief Ministers with the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi as this act is the most transparent, simple and especially ensured the interests of farmers.
While kicking off Rs. 4000 crore water supply, sewerage and street light project with laying down the foundation stone of Rs. 211 crore projects for Bathinda city, Mr. Badal said that from mid August the work on provisioning of all civic amenities would be initiated in about 150 towns as there was no dearth of funds.
Prominent among others present on the occasion included Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Sarup Chand Singla, Chairman District Planning Committee Mr. Jagdip Singh Nakai, former MP Bibi Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, Mr. Harjinder Singh Sidhu Assistant Media Advisor to Deputy CM.