Chandigarh, May 16
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who flew this afternoon to Delhi to attend a meeting of the Jallianwala Bagh Trust, used the opportunity to apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of the situation in the state.

The trust meeting was convened by the Prime Minister’s office.

Sources said Badal told the Prime Minister that maintaining peace in Punjab was in the interest of the entire nation. No one knew it better than the people of Punjab who passed through a most difficult situation only a few years ago.

The sources said Badal urged the Prime Minister to use his good offices to check the activities of forces out to fish in troubled waters in the state. Badal had shown photographs of certain Congress MLAs who had allegedly participated in a sectarian gathering at Bathinda a few days ago. It was Bathinda from where the trouble started in the state.

Badal also showed photo copies of the statements made by certain Congress leaders in recent days. The sources said Badal told the Prime Minister that the state government had handled the situation in a tactful manner. There was no loss of life though government property had been damaged. Crowds in various areas resorted to violence but the police was told to use restraint to avoid any loss of life.

The Prime Minister was told people had been allowed to let off steam without causing any harm to human life. The Prime Minister was urged to prevent Congress leaders in the state from making what he described as provocative statements. Every politician should behave like a statesman. Those who were advising other leaders to behave like statesmen should themselves follow that advice.