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Chandigarh, – The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal has cancelled all his previous engagements for tomorrow, including the Sangat Darshan at Dirba. He would instead remain available at his residence to receive “any responsible political leader or representative for discussion on any issue concerning the people of the state.”
Disclosing this, Chief Minister’s Advisor on National Affairs Harcharan Bains said that the CM had cancelled his programmes programs in view of the reported programme of the Aam Aadmi Party even though that party had not sent any formal information to this effect.
Referring to reports that the AAP leaders proposed to “gherao” his residence on the farmer’s issue, Mr Badal said, “This party had already delivered the most treacherous betrayal to the farmers of the state by backing out on the SYL issue. They cannot now pretend to be the sympathisers and supporters of the same farmers.”
The Chief Minister further said,” It is clear by now that the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab had no control over their workers. Instead of a political party, they have come to resemble an unruly mob in which it is free for all for everyone on every issue. This is not democracy but anarchy of a dangerous kind and this robs all their actions of any seriousness and sobriety. ”
The Chief Minister also said that from the very start, the intention of the leaders of the AAP had been not to undertake any serious exercise for the welfare of the people in general and farmers in particular but “merely to deflect people’s attention from the betrayal of Punjab on the SYL issue by the AAP High Command.”
The AAP had first declared that the waters of Punjab Rivers belonged to Punjab. But as soon as their leader entered Delhi, they changed this stand and then filed an affidavit against Punjab’s plea in the Supreme Court. They changed their stand again when they were forced to withdraw that affidavit because of opportunistic electoral considerations. They openly declared that it did not matter to them whether the Punjab farmers lived or died because of the SYL construction. “Such a party cannot now pretend to seriously articulate the problems of the same farmers whom they had already betrayed,” said Mr Badal.
Nevertheless, said the Chief Minister, he would fulfil his side of the democratic obligation and would remain present to engage in any responsible, meaningful and serious discussion with any representative of the people. “The doors of my house remain open all 24 hours every day to listen to people and their representatives and to address and solve their problems. Tomorrow will be no exception,” said Mr Badal in a statement here this evening.
The Chief Minister said that respecting democratic norms had been an article of profound faith for him. “In fact, my entire life is a saga of struggle for safeguarding these democratic right values and have spent long years behind bars in defence this very cause,” said the Chief Minister
