Punjab CM to raise issue of Punjabi youths arrested in Kuwait with Sushma Swaraj

Talwandi Sabo, August 30, 2014: Expressing concern over the incident of brawl in Kuwait wherein 24 Punjabi youths have been detained by the Kuwait police, the Chief Minister Punjab Parkash Singh Badal today said that he would soon talk to the Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj for immediately providing all possible help to the Punjabis in distress and urge the Government of India to make use of all diplomatic channels to ensure for their safety and security.

While talking to the media persons on the first day of his three-day thanksgiving tour in the Talwandi Sabo assembly constituency, Badal said that the secretary of External Affairs Ministry, GoI had informed him about the efforts being made to help the Punjabis injured and arrested in Kuwait brawl. He said that union government was only authorized to take up such issues with the other countries where the states had no role to play except urging the center to take appropriate action in such cases. Badal reiterated that he would soon take up this issue with the Union Minister for External Affairs to ensure the safety of the Punjabi youth detained there.

When asked about the rising dissent in Congress workers of state against the Congress state president Pratap Singh Bajwa after losing the Talwandi Sabo seat with a huge margin, Badal said that since it was internal matter of the Congress party, he would not comment on it.

Taking stock of the developmental works being executed in the constituency, Badal directed heads of the various departments to ensure quality and transparency in every possible way. The Chief Minister also directed that these projects would be inspected after one month and if any irregularity is found in the work subsequently stern action would be taken against the erring officials.

Addressing the representatives of panchayats and wards, Badal asked them to be extra vigilant when the surveys of beneficiary schemes were conducted to ensure that every genuine beneficiary must get benefit of these schemes. Especially the fruits of these schemes meant for underprivileged section must percolate at the grass root level without any bias, he said.

During the program, the Chief Minister patiently listened to the grievances of residents of all 13 wards from Talwandi Sabo and Raman Mandi and asked the concerned officers/officials to resolve these problems at the earliest.

Thanking the people of constituency, Badal said that by making the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP candidate Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu’s victory by a huge margin, the constituency’s people have created a history.

Badal said that this victory has invigorated new enthusiasm in the party leaders and workers alike. He said that this spectacular victory is the triumph of pro-people policies and programs of SAD-BJP government.

Earlier, the Chief Minister laid foundation stone of new sabji mandi to be constructed over an area of 1.18 acres at a cost of Rs 1.23 cr and would be completed within three months.

The Chief Minister earlier in the morning also visited the Sri Dasmesh Senior Secondary School and announced to give it basic infrastructure. Badal said that Sri Dasmesh Sahib Academy Anandpur Sahib’s director Major General (retd) J.S. Ghuman has been asked to give his valuable advice and inputs on making Sri Dasmesh Senior Secondary School a top-notch school of region. The CM’s was accompanied by special principal secretary KJS Cheema.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included education minister Sikandar Singh Maluka, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sant Balbir Singh Ghunas, Justice (retd) Nirmal Singh, Darshan Singh Kotfatta, Prem Prakash, Chitan Singh Samao (all MLAs), Akali leader Amarjit Singh Khana and Bathinda’s former Mayor Baljit Singh Birbehman besides several senior Akali leaders and party workers of SAD and BJP.