National/Punjab News- High powered delegation of Punjabi farmers from Gujarat calls on Badal

Chandigarh, September 24, 2013: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today assured the Punjabi farmers settled in Gujarat that he would soon take up the issue with the Ministry of Railways, Government of India (GoI) for extending the existing Jammu Tawi- Ahmedabad Express Train to Kutch in Gujarat to enable them to frequently visit Punjab, in a hassle free manner.

Interacting with a high powered 50 member delegation from Kutch region of Gujarat led by its President Jugraj Singh that specially called on Badal for expressing their gratitude for recently taking up their case of displacement vigorously with his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister reiterated that the state government was duty bound to safeguard their interests. He further assured the delegation that SAD-BJP government would be ever ready to take up any issue related to the welfare of Punjabi farmers settled in Gujarat at the highest forum in view of their enormous contribution in the overall development of Gujarat thereby converting the barren land into lush green fields through their sweat and toil.

Responding to another issue raised by the delegation related to the waiving off the condition of freezing the land records, the Chief Minister said that he had already taken up this matter with Modi, who in turn has assured him that this would also be amicably resolved to the satisfaction of Punjabi farmers. It may be recalled that out of 784 farmers whose land records have been freezed due to pending appeal in the Apex Court, 153 belong to Punjab. He aptly realised their genuine hardships in wake of the freeze of land records which was a major impediment in way of seeking co-operative loans, water connections besides bank loans for other purposes.

The delegation also invited the Chief Minister to visit the holy Sikh shrine Gurdwara Sri Nanak Durbar at Kot Lakhpat in Kutch district, the historical place associated with Sri Guru Nanak Dev who stayed here while going and coming back from Mecca (Saudi Arabia) during his Udaasi. The delegation apprised Badal that a religious congregation was held here on December 25 every year and requested him to participate in it, which was celebrated by the local Sikhs besides several devotees from various part of the country and abroad.  The delegation informed that the holy shrine has also been duly recognised by the UNESCO and thus demanded that keeping in view its historical importance efforts should be intensified to acquaint the people about its centuries old heritage and religious sanctity. Replying to this issue, the Chief Minister told the delegation that he would soon take up this matter with the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) to initiate requisite steps in this regard.

The Chief Minister also assured the delegation that he would soon urge the SGPC to open a school there in Kutch region to enable the children of Punjabi farmers to learn Punjabi- their mother tongue. The delegation highly appreciated Badal's gesture and promised to donate a suitable site for the school at a central place so that it could cater to the needs of Punjabi families living nearby.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Principal Secretary SK Sandhu and Special Principal Secretary Gaggandip Singh Brar.

The prominent members of delegation included Jugraj Singh, Udham Singh, Ranjit Singh, Kewal Singh and Dharam Singh.