Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
* What better time than when PM himself calls CMs on federal debate: Chandumajra to Manpreet
* SAD MP asks Manpreet to clarify stand on Badal’s demand
* PPP Chief unware of SAD stand as he had remained aloof from its struggles
Chandigarh, Senior SAD leader and Member of Parliament Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra today dismissed as “ an utterly uneducated and immature response” PPP leader Manpreet Singh Badal’s opposition to the demand for a drastic recasting of the constitution to make India a genuinely federal country, as raised by the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a meeting of the chief ministers convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi yesterday. The meeting had been called to discuss restructuring of the Planning Commission in the light of the federal principle. In a statement here, Prof Chandumajra said that Manpreet should clarify his own position on Mr. Badal’s demand for a genuine federal structure in the country, especially on the basis of his experience as a Finance Minister of the state. The Akali leader said that the PPP Chief did not even seem to know what he was opposing because as Finance Minister he had himself complained of center’s crippling hold on all resources and powers on policy formulation and decision making processes in the country, reducing the states to the plight of beggars at the door of the center. The SAD General Secretary further said that even as an Akali, Manpreethad never tried to understand why his own party had spearheaded a nation-wide campaign for federal structure, nor had he ever tried to understand the philosophy of regional autonomy on which the basic approach of SAD to federalism rested. “About why Mr Badal chose the timing now, it is laughable that Mr Manpreet should not know that the timing of the debate yesterday was not decided by Mr Badal but by the Prime Minsiter Mr Narendra Modi himself.” Said the Akali leader. Prof Chandumajra asked , “ What could be a better time to raise this demand than now when the Prime Minsiter of the country had himself called a meeting of all Chief Ministers on the need to replace the Planning Commission with some other body in the background of the nationwide demand for more powers to the states. Mr Modi had himself raised this demand as Chief Minster of Gujrat and he had chosen the first available opportunity to initiate a national debate on the subject. Manpreet perhaps has not seen the agenda of yesterday’s meeting which specifically spoke of federalism as the need of the hour and advocated greater autonomy to states.” On Manpreet’s assertion that the best time to raise this demand was the 1990’s and not now, Prof Chandumajra said that Manpreet was showing a terrible lack of knowledge of recent history. “It was precisely in the eighties and the 90’s that the SAD put federalism on center stage of national agenda even though the party had to pay a huge price for doing so. At that time, we were called separatsits by people like Manpreet precisely because the SAD demanded more powers to
the states. Manpreet is unware of it because he had never tken any
party in any of the struggles lauched by his party. The Dharmyudh
Morcha of the 80’s and the Moga Convention of the 90s had federalism
as their principle issues and demands. But Manpreet knows nothing
about either of these two because he never showed any interest in
Akali struggles, etos and philosophy,” said the Akali MP.
About Manpreet’s charge that the SAD abandoned the demand because of a
recent shift in its policy towards Punjabiat “What should be said
about a leader who openly declares that federalism had no place in the
concept of Punjabiat. May one ask him to state what else was at the
core of Punjabiat than the emphasis on autonomy to the state to
preserve its distinct identity ? Like many ill informed critics of the
SAD and of the concept of fedralism, Manpreet confuses more powers to
states with separatism,” said Prof Chandumajra.
Prof Chandumajra said that Manpreet’s references to the
Anandpur Sahib resolution are also ill-informed at best and
mischievous in general. “Doe he not know that the Anandpur Sahib
Resolution is a part of the Punjab Accord signed by the then Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi and approved by both Houses of the parliament?
In his political desperation , Manpreet is trying to revive the old
bogie of separatism and trying to paint the SAD and Mr Badal in
dangerous colours, just as the Congress had done earlier.It is
shocking to see a former Akali, even if only of the part time variety,
indulging in this vilification of the SAD and indirectly of the Sikh
community as separatists,” said the Akali leader.
