‘Mere drama’, works displayed set up during SAD regime: Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal Sunday said the recently concluded Invest Punjab Summit was a “mere drama” and said the state government should have invited the SAD for the development works showcased before investors.

Badal was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the SAD’s Punjab Bachao rally organised at Bhadaur constituency in Barnala.

Badal said the summit, which concluded on Sunday at Mohali, had failed to make any significant impact.

“This summit was a mere drama and turned out to be a damp squib.

They could not organise it for four years and conducted it only in the final year of the government, managing to bring in only a few participants.”
“All the things they showed to investors happened during our tenure.

They should have rather invited the SAD and honoured us,” Badal said.

He said NewChandigarhwas his brainchild and had been developed during the Akali Dal regime.

He added that the airport, approach roads and the state’s power surplus status — also highlighted during the summit — had been achieved during the SAD government’s tenure.

Badal also said had the Akali Dal not developed infrastructure and made Punjab power surplus, investors would not have been interested in coming to the state.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Bachao rally at Bhadaur was organised despite intermittent rain.

“I thank all the supporters who came despite the bad weather… people continued to sit there, which shows… they have made up their mind to form a government of Punjabis in Punjab and make ‘Delhiwalas’ run away.”
He also thanked party Halka in-charge Satnam Singh Rahi and his team for making arrangements for the rally.

The SAD chief also announced that if voted to power, the next government would constitute a panel to review cases allegedly falsely registered by the AAP and police.

Those responsible for registering false cases against innocent people would be proceeded against as per law.

Announcing another priority, he said strict action would be taken to prevent industrial and sewerage effluents from entering the Sutlej and Beas.

“The violators will be dealt with sternly.

This is essential to tackle the scourge of cancer in the Malwa belt,” he said, adding that the party would also not allow Punjab’s water to flow into the Rajasthan canal.

Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also addressed the rally.

Among others present on the stage were Sant Balbir Singh Ghunas, Arvind Khanna, Kulwant Singh Keetu, Tejinder Singh Middukhera, SOI president Ranbir Singh, Beant Kaur Khaira and Baba Buta Singh Gurthadi.

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