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Speak Punjabi
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal made his stance clear on the use of Punjabi language in the state when he asked a reporter “Assi Punjab wich rahenda
haan; tussi Punjabi wich sawal puchho” (We are living in Punjab; please ask your question in Punjabi).Badal, who is a graduate from a leading college of Lahore, fielded questions in English and Punjabi, but expressed reservation on replying in Hindi. The reporter, who is with a leading radio station, went on to say that his editors in Delhi have to then translate the script. Badal retorted back: “You speak good Punjabi, hence you should do the translation of the script”. |
Chandigarh, March 11
In a deft move that could pave the way for Sukhbir Badal (44) as the future Chief Minister, the Parkash Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today unanimously elected Sukhbir as the acting president of the party. A decision to this effect was taken by the 31-member political affairs committee (PAC) of the party, the Punjab Chief Minister told reporters here.
“During the PAC meeting, I said there was a lot of work in the government and it would be difficult for me to carry on satisfactorily as the SAD president and also the Chief Minister,”Parkash Singh Badal, who chaired the PAC, said. The committee then unanimously decided to elect Sukhbir as the acting president of the party, he
said. The name of Sukhbir was proposed by senior leader and Cabinet minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and seconded by Gurdev Singh Badal. Party secretary general and MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also endorsed the name of Sukhbir, he said.
Parkash Singh
Badal, however, said he would continue to be president of the party.“I have delegated all powers as party chief to Sukhbir,” he said adding that “during the recently concluded Assembly polls, the contribution of Sukhbir was immense”. “My government will be guided by the party, and party workers will be given due respect at all levels,” he said.
Sukhbir, who was the general secretary of the SAD, is an MP
from Faridkot. Reacting to his appointment, Sukhbir thanked the party leadership for reposing faith in him.
Sukhbir told reporters, “I thank the senior Akali leadership for reposing faith in my capabilities and showing confidence in me.The party is more important than the
government. We will strengthen our cadre and ensure that the aspirations of our party workers are met by the Akali
government”.
Meanwhile, Parkash Singh Badal has been authorised by the PAC to decide on the party nominee for the Rajya Sabha seat in the state, which fell vacant following the death of senior Congress leader Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder.
The PAC also discussed various reasons for the loss of the party in the Malwa region. The success of Bt cotton, its smooth procurement and the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, besides the effect of the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda and the transfer of the Jat Sikh vote to the Congress, were touted as the reasons for the Congress winning seats in that region.
He said the formation of a separate SGPC in Haryana was not possible as there was a pact between Jawaharlal Nehru and Master Tara Singh that any amendment was to be backed by a resolution of the SGPC with a two-thirds majority.
Parkash Singh Badal avoided questions on the issue of scrapping Section 5 of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, saying “let us move step by step; we will take legal advice”. Asked to comment on Amarinder Singh’s statement that the Akali government would last only a few months, Badal said, “Let him say so. He is an injured lion, rather an injured jackal”. Within seconds he corrected himself and said, “I withdraw my statement against
Amarinder. My only target is the progress of Punjab and I seek the cooperation of the Opposition”.
