Punjab seeks funds from Centre for modernisation of police force

Sunam, July 31

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday said the Centre must show "magnanimity" while allocating funds for the modernisation of the state police, and urged it to treat Punjab as a unique state by virtue of it being situated on the border.

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Patting the Punjab Police for showing exemplary courage in combating the terror attack at Dinanagar in Gurdaspur, Badal said, Punjab being a border state "deserves" special attention from the Union government.

"The Government of India must treat Punjab as a unique state from the rest of the country and show magnanimity while allocating funds for the modernisation of state police," Badal said here, after paying tributes to legendary martyr Shaheed Udham Singh on his martyrdom day today.

Badal said the brave cops of Punjab demonstrated commendable valour and dedication for protecting the unity and integrity of the country during the terror attack at Dinanagar for which even the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh appreciated them.

On allegations being levelled by Lok Sabha MP Captain Amarinder Singh regarding overlooking of IB alert by the state government, the chief minister termed them as "baseless and unwarranted", and said the political leadership must desist from politicisation of this grave issue concerning the unity and integrity of the country.

Earlier, paying rich tributes to martyr Singh, Badal said this true son of soil had in a heroic act exhibited exemplary courage by killing Michael O'Dwyer, the prime perpetrator of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

He said the supreme sacrifice made by him at the altar of national freedom struggle helped the country to overthrow the yoke of British imperialism.

He also recalled the unparalleled sacrifice made by legendary martyrs like Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sukhdev and others during the Indian freedom movement.

The chief minister said in order to pay homage to such great heroes and others who had made sacrifices in national freedom struggle, the state government was constructing 'Jang-e-Azaadi' memorial at Kartarpur in Jalandhar district.

He said the state government was committed for constructing a memorial to perpetuate the life and struggle of Shaheed Udham Singh, adding, they were finding a suitable chunk of land for this purpose.

Badal asked Cabinet Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Deputy Commissioner to search suitable land for it.

He said the state government has postponed the annual state-level function to observe this sacred day in the light of week-long national mourning being observed in the memory of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who passed away on July 27.

He said, however, a fresh date for the state-level function to be observed with regard to martyrdom of Udham Singh would be announced later on. —PTI