Punjab’s contribution exemplary: Rana Gurjit

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 16

Punjabis had always been at the forefront of the freedom movement and suffered untold hardships in the form of life imprisonment and hanging, said Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh while presiding over the Independence Day function at Guru Nanak Dev Stadium here yesterday.

Even after attaining the freedom, Punjabis continued to do their best to make the country and state move forward in social, economical and political sphere. He took the salute from the parade and march -past after unfurling the national flag. He also honoured kin of freedom fighters and handed over awards to police personnel and participants in the parade, which was led by parade commander Tejbir Singh Hundal. He also distributed tricycles among differently abled people and sewing machines to the needy.

A cultural programme added colour to the occasion.

He said the state government, led by Capt Amarinder Singh, wished to offer corruption-free governance and more employment opportunities. He stated that efforts were being made to revive industry in the state and diversification of crops would increase the income of farmers and farm labourers.

Among others, Chief Election Commissioner VK Singh, District and Sessions Judge Karamjit Singh Kang, MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, MLAs Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, OP Soni, Harpratap Singh Ajnala, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Sunil Dutti, Tarsem Singh DC, Santokh Singh Bhalaipur, Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora, DC Kamaldeep Singh Sangha and Police Commissioner SS Srivastava were present.

Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik unfurled the Tricolur during at the district BJP office and at Ram Ashram Public School.

Guru Nanak Dev University, colleges and school also held programmes to mark the Independence day.

NGO Bharat Vikas Parishad, Amritsar Central, celebrated the day by planting saplings at the medical college. The plantation drive was inaugurated by Principal Dr Tejbir Singh, and Bharat Vikas Parishad, Amritsar Central, president Prof HS Walia.

BSF DG at Attari

BSF Director General (DG) KK Sharma visited the joint check post at Attari to review the operational situation of the BSF and interacted with officers on Tuesday. BSF Punjab Frontier Inspector General Mukul Goel briefed him about various operational and administrative activities. Sharma and Goel along with KN Choubey, SDG, Western Command, Chandigarh, and 200 BSF personnel started the day with a yoga session at station headquarters, Khasa, on the outskirts of  Amritsar. The DG also took part in a Sainik Sammelan and appreciated officers and other ranks for containing the menace of transborder drug smuggling. Later, he hoisted the Tricolor and also witnessed cultural programmes presented by schoolchildren and BSF personnel. He witnessed the retreat ceremony at the JCP Attari.