VOICE OF EX-SERVICEMEN PUNJAB

Sidhu-AAP talks ‘inconclusive’

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27

It’s back to square one for Navjot Singh Sidhu. The former BJP MP first held parleys with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), later announced his own front (Awaaz-e-Punjab) and followed it with several rounds of talks with the Congress. Now, he is again negotiating with AAP.

Sidhu met AAP leaders Durgesh Pathak and Gurpreet Singh Waraich in New Delhi last night. The talks, however, remained inconclusive.

Arvind Kejriwal, party’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister, had told The Tribune during a visit to the state recently that AAP was in talks with Sidhu.

Waraich, party’s state party affairs incharge Sanjay Singh and Punjab Dialogue head Kanwar Sandhu confirmed the development. However, none of them could specify what Sidhu was seeking.

Sources said Sidhu had talked about the possibility of getting the Deputy Chief Minister’s post and wanted to know whether the CM candidate had been finalised.

The former cricketer had told reporters in Chandigarh last month that he was tired of being used as a showpiece by political parties. However, he decided not to turn Awaaz-e-Punjab into a political party for the Assembly poll.

Bidding for Punjab votes

No political party for implementing economic reformThe Punjab Government has regularised the services of 27,000 employees, which is expected to put an additional annual burden of Rs 2,000 crore. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has demanded immediate implementation of a Supreme Court direction for equal pay to regular and temporary employees. Punjab has also granted Rs 100 crore for burial grounds for Christians and Muslims. All of these are perfectly legitimate and desirable decisions, but perhaps suited to another world, and not the economy as obtaining at present in Punjab.

Curiously, all these wondrous decisions were not taken in the past 10 years of the current dispensation. The fact is Punjab cannot afford them as the government’s finances are in a mess. And this state has been achieved through decisions that were taken with full awareness of the consequences, like free power for agriculture. The government has now also announced Rs 102 crore for giving power connections to far-flung houses at the discretion of SAD ‘halqa in-charges’, besides free power to the Backward Classes. The state's employees have pay scales higher than the Central government's. It is another matter that thousands go without salary for months, or the power, health and education sectors are being rendered dysfunctional for want of funds.

Legitimate hiring reforms and required levels of public spending on education and health can happen only if the macro economy of the state is reformed first. Going by the offers being made by the government and promises by AAP and the Congress, there seems to be little hope of any course correction. SAD has given no indication it intends to cut subsidies, and none of the rivals have condemned that. Free electricity was a gift of elections a decade ago, this time it could well be loan waivers, overstaffing in government departments, and tax cuts. Freebies are a drug no category of voters is able to resist, and one that never fails to work. What the voter fails to realise is he is being bought off with money taken from his pocket.

BJP’s Mehria joins Cong

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 27

Subash Mehria, former minister of rural development in the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, today joined the Congress in Rajasthan along with over 400 supporters. Mehria, a Jat leader, formally entered the Congress in Delhi along with Hari Singh, another veteran Jat leader from Rajasthan.

Mehria has thrice represented Sikar in the Lok Sabha on the BJP ticket. He has left citing differences with Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia, saying: “This is homecoming for me. My father was a Congress man.”

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot and AICC media head Randeep Surjewala were present at the joining here. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot was conspicuous by his absence, with leaders privately saying the joining was a handiwork of the anti-Gehlot camp. Rajasthan is 22 months away from polls.

Sidhu an opportunist, says CM

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Kalanaur (Gurdaspur), Oct 27

After training guns on PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh and AAP president Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal termed Navjot Singh Sidhu as an “opportunist of the first order”. He said this while presiding over the Sangat Darshan programme held here today.

He said Sidhu had backstabbed his mother party and that was the reason why “no party was wiling to touch him even with a bargepole”.

“He has absolutely no stand. A rolling stone gathers no moss. He is putting his best foot forward to negotiate a favourable deal, but is yet to find success so far. He is into the politics of opportunism which is an art in itself but he is yet to master it. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours,” said Badal.

“Sidhu is a defector and a fugitive. He defected from his parent party without giving any solid reason and later became a fugitive. For days nobody knew where he was. I fail to understand why the man is playing games when the need of the hour for him was to come clean. How will people repose their trust in a deserter going by the name of Navjot Sidhu?” said the CM.

Taking on Amarinder yet again, the CM said he had concrete information that the Congress would consign the debt waiver scheme to backburner if at all the party was voted to power.

“People still remember the fact that Amarinder withdrew the facility of free power to farmers during his regime. A leopard can never change its spots,” he added.

Wife: SC order won’t affect Cong parleys

Amritsar, October 27

A day after the Supreme Court directed Navjot Singh Sidhu to face trial in a case filed by his opponent, OP Soni, during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, his wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu said today that the complaint was baseless.

Dr Sidhu said the process of transferring government officials prior to the elections or during the MP’s tenure was a routine affair.

“The SC verdict won’t impact our talks with the Congress as the case pertained to a petition filed seven years ago and that too is frivolous,” she said.

Soni, Congress MLA from Amritsar Central, welcomed the SC’s decision and said he had started exploring legal options to proceed against Sidhu. — TNS

Kejri’s wife may enter CM fray, says Chhotepur

Faridkot, October 27

Aapna Punjab Party (APP) chief Sucha Singh Chhotepur said here today that AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal was trying to project his wife Sunita as a prospective CM candidate.

Addressing a gathering in Kotkapura this evening, the former AAP state convener said, “Kejriwal does not trust any Punjabi. So, he is striving for a backdoor entry for his wife.” Chhotepur said his newly-formed party would field candidates from all 117 seats. — TNS

Ex-cop Pinki joins National Freedom Party

Jalandhar, October 27

Former state police “cat” Gurmeet Singh Pinki has joined the National Freedom Party (NFP) which had recently announced an alliance with Sucha Singh Chhotepur’s Aapna Punjab Party.

President of the NFP Amlan Biswas, who was earlier associated with the Vivekananda Foundation, has confirmed the same.

Asked if he was also being made to contest, Biswas said: “We can’t say that as of now. In any case, we will be releasing our first list of candidates on Saturday.”

An alleged terrorist-turned-police cat, Pinki’s life has been rid with controversies and he has no acceptance among Sikh hardliners. Asked as to why he had been taken in, Biswas said, “Our party aims at bringing people into the mainstream and society always supports such moves.” — TNS

Now, govt using roadways buses for publicity

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 27

Don’t be surprised if you travel in an ordinary Punjab Roadways bus next time and find an LED screen installed in it. The SAD-BJP state government is showcasing its publicity material of almost nine-and-half-year “successful” rule and screening ‘Chaar Sahibzade’ movie for passengers.

The 24-inch LED screen has been installed in some buses just behind the driver’s seat with four speakers and a woofer. A voltage stabilizer has also been installed. The bus staff has been given a USB flash drive, loaded with the movie and pro-government publicity material of nearly two-and-a-half-hour duration.

“The bus can be checked anytime while plying on the road. If some other movie is being screened on the LED screen, the inspector can fine us,” said an employee of a state-run bus of Moga depot plying in Muktsar district today.

He said the state government had chosen only new buses, which are red and white in colour, for this purpose. “The installation of LED screen and speakers has been done recently in Chandigarh,” he added.

Charanjit Singh Brar, General Manager, Punjab Roadways, Muktsar, said, “The higher-ups had demanded seven buses from Muktsar depot, in which the LED screen and speakers have been installed.”

Ashwani Sharma, Director, State Transport, said, “The buses having LED screens are those which are chosen for the CM’s Tirath Darshan Yatra.”

However, the buses fitted with LED screens, showing the movie and pro-government material, were found plying on Wednesday and Thursday.

One IAS, 20 PCS officers transferred

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27

The Punjab Government today issued the transfer/posting orders of one IAS and 20 PCS officers. A government spokesman said IAS officer Mohammad Tayyab had been appointed Special Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, in addition to Special Secretary, Forests and Wildlife.

Among the PCS officers, Babita has been posted as ADC, Phagwara; Iqbal Singh Sandhu as ADC (General), Hoshiarpur; Surinder Singh as SDM, Pathankot, in addition to Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Pathankot, and Estate Officer, Amritsar Development Authority; Paramjit Singh-II as SDM, Amritsar-II; Geetika Singh as SDM, SBS Nagar; Rajesh Kumar Sharma as SDM, Ludhiana (East); and Sumit Mudh as Jaito SDM.

16 ‘unqualified’ doctors appointed specialists

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, October 27

The Health and Family Welfare Department, Punjab, has appointed 16 MBBS doctors as specialists in various fields even as they failed in their postgraduate MD/MS examination.

In their new posting orders, these “unqualified” doctors have been posted in various specialist fields of paediatrician, gynaecologist, anaesthetist, surgeon, ophthalmologist and orthopaedician. They have even been allowed to put “MD/MS” after their name.

In the past over one year, despite having conducted eight walk-in interviews to hire specialists, the department failed in filling more than 30 posts of specialist doctors.

On September 14 and October 10, the department issued posting orders of 49 Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) doctors after they had finished their MD/MS courses in the different medical colleges in the state. The result of MD/MS courses was declared on July 18.

Information procured under the RTI Act revealed that though 16 of these 49 MBBS doctors were declared failed in their MD/MS examination, the Health Department gave them new posting orders as specialists in various fields.

Dr RL Taneja, president, Indian Medical Association, Punjab, said an MBBS doctor, who failed in the MD/MS examination at the end of three-year postgraduate course, got another chance by appearing in supplementary exams after six months. However, a doctor could not be designated as a specialist or an MD/MS until he/she passed the practical and theory examination, he added.

Dr HS Bali, Director, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, had proposed the name of these “failed” MD/MS doctors for their appointment as specialists. However, he feigned ignorance about posting these doctors as specialists. Defending such postings, if there were any, Dr Bali said as there was a shortage of specialists in the department, there was no harm in utilising their three-year experience during their postgraduation courses.

The doctors appointed as specialists in various specialties in district and sub-divisional government hospitals are Dr Sunita Arora, Manpreet Kapoor, Dr Ravi Kant, Dr Inderpal, Dr Ravinder Singh, Dr Tripatjot Singh, Dr Sandeep Kumar, Dr Amandeep Kaur, Dr Ravi Kumar, Dr Rajinder Pal Singh, Dr Inderjit Kaur, Dr Livleen Kaur, Dr Jasbir Singh, Dr Neel Kamal Singh, Dr Ravisha Bhardwaj, Dr Suneet Kaur Gurm.

Shortage of 317 specialists

• The Health Department decided to post these “unqualified” doctors as there is an acute shortage of 317 specialists in various fields, including 107 in paediatrics, 43 in medicine, nine in gynaecology, 38 in radiology, 37 in anaesthesia and 25 in psychiatry.

Sidhu back in game as Cong, AAP renew offers to woo him

CHANDIGARH/PATIALA: At a time when political pundits had almost written off cricketerturned-politician Navjot Sidhu as a game-changer in the Punjab polls, the former test opener is back in the reckoning with both the Congress and AAP trying to seal a deal with him. And Sidhu is learnt to be bargaining hard for the best offer for himself and his outfit Awaaz-e-Punjab.

It is learnt that Congress leader Priyanka Vadra got in touch with Sidhu through Ghulam Nabi Azad this morning, and the AAP sent its national organisation-building in-charge Durgesh Pathak to strike a deal with Sidhu on Wednesday evening.

Confirming that he met Sidhu and his group, Pathak said he cannot divulge the details of what transpired. “All I can say is that the meeting went off positively,” he told HT. Sources close to Sidhu, however, claimed that the AAP has offered the post of the deputy CM to Sidhu if the party comes to power as also two ministerial portfolios and five MLA tickets, including one to his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu. In order to circumvent the AAP rule that it does not give two tickets from a family, the AAP has offered an alliance with Sidhu’s Awaaz-ePunjab rather than merger of the outfit into the AAP.Sources said Sidhu and other leaders of Awaaz-e-Punjab are, however, not enthusiastic about the AAP offer. “Going by the past record, AAP leaders can go back on their word once the elections are won. The experience with them has been bitter,” said Sidhu’s close aide, adding that they decided last evening to wait for the Congress offer  Congress leaders on Thursday claimed that the deal with Sidhu had been “finalised”. “Azad had a detailed meeting with Sidhu this morning and a deal has been formalised. The Congress has offered a Lok Sabha seat for Sidhu, six assembly seats to fight polls and a cabinet berth for Sidhu’s wife if Congress forms a government in the state,” said a senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity, adding that Azad will discuss the final deal with Rahul Gandhi on Friday.

A section of the Awaaze-e Punjab, however, said their joining the Congress when Amarinder was heading the party in Punjab was not acceptable and no deal had been finalised as yet.

Sources in the Congress said the deal with Sidhu had almost been sealed a fortnight back, but Amarinder’s calling Sidhu a “clown” and his outfit a “tonga party” spoiled the parleys. The party then directed Amarinder to tone down his attack and he issued a statement welcoming Sidhu into the party.AAP’s interest in Sidhu, on the other hand, was renewed after the party analysed that the response of recent visit of national convener Arvind Kejriwal to Punjab was lower than anticipated. The party’s state top leaders, barring a few, are learnt to have asked Kejriwal to talk to Sidhu before it was too late.

The party’s state in-charge Sanjay Singh said in a press conference here on Thursday that talks were on with Sidhu but only time will tell what final shape they take. Party’s state convener Gurpreet Singh Wariach said there were no hard feelings of the party towards Sidhu for his outburst against Kejriwal. “A single statement cannot be held against a person forever,” said Waraich. Ankit Lal, a senior party leader heading the IT wing, however, tweeted on Thursday that the party had “not” offered the post of deputy CM to Sidhu.

Rana Gurjit Singh, 64

My biggest contribution is that I did not let SAD halqa in-charge Sarabjit Makkar, henchman of Sukhbir Badal, to loot the people.

HOW HE PERFORMED

Being an MLA from the opposition party, the MLA claims, he could not get funds from the state government. He emphasised that the projects that he got sanctioned for Kapurthala when he was Jalandhar MP (when Kapurthala was part of the Jalandhar Lok Sabha segment) could not see light of day because of the state’s SAD-BJP government scuttled them. He says his biggest contribution as an MLA has been that he did not allow SAD leader Sarabjit Makkar to get settled in Kapurthala segment. Rana and his family have contested six elections but never lost from Kapurthala area. He runs his political affairs and constituency matters through a team of his lieutenants. In the Vidhan Sabha, he got into a row over use of foul language.

Navtej Singh Cheema, 42

HOW HE PERFORMED

His performance as opposition MLA was considered above average. The MLA was seen fighting for the people on the ground throughout his tenure and managed to get the the Congress to win municipal polls in Sultanpur Lodhi. He also got sanctioned different, relatively small development works to the tune of around `1 crore from the MPLAD fund of Rajya Sabha member Ambika Soni. Easily accessible to the people, and a lowprofile politician, Cheema also used his pressure as an MLA to sort out smaller problems through the local administration. He also banks largely upon the legacy of his father, Gurmail Singh Cheema, who had served as minister in Beant Singh-led Congress government in the 1990s.

Manjit Singh Mianwind, 41

HOW HE PERFORMED

He got sanctioned `12 crore for laying new water supply and sewerage system in Baba Bakala town. Besides, he was instrumental in improving water supply and sewerage network in Beas town. For overall development of villages, including link roads and veterinary clinics, the government sanctioned `50 crore, but work on this is still in progress. A number of village link roads are in a poor condition even after five years of his tenure, and this is primarily due to the MLA failing to monitor the work. Portions of the Baba Bakala-Batala road which passes through the constituency remain in a deplorable state. Illegal sand mining along the Beas river is rampant. He did, however, remain accessible to the people of his constituency.

Jagir Kaur, 62 

A university or airport is not the need of my constituency. I made basic infrastructure here the best in Punjab.

Constituency: BHOLATH

Education: BA, B.Ed

Assets declared in last polls: `13.4 cr

Electoral record

2012: Defeated Congress candidate Sukhpal Khaira by 7,005 votes

2007: Lost to Cong’s Sukhpal Khaira by margin of 8,864 votes

ASSEMBLY RECORD

31 Questions asked: 0 Call attention moved:

POWER PUNCH A SAD heavyweight; ex-SGPC chief; heads local deraWHAT NEXT Can’t fight unless HC stays conviction for daughter’s abortion*

HOW SHE PERFORMED

With her clout and aggressive style, she managed to bring in special grants for roads and sewerage in small towns such as Bholath, Nadala, Dhilwan and Subhanpur in the constituency. In villages, too, her focus remained on basic infrastructure. She claims there is not a single household in her constituency that doesn’t have water and power connection. She managed to bring a sub-divisional hospital to Bholath, but, due to the lack of staff, it has become merely a referral centre. The only government college in the segment at Bholath is running with classes for only humanities. Her direct connect with voters makes for her strength. She heads the local Sant Prem Singh Muralewale dera that enjoys support of the powerful Lubana community.

Ghubaya best in MPLADS funds utilisation, Vinod Khanna worst

DEVELOPMENT SCHEME All 13 MPs in Punjab entitled to `15 cr in first 3 years of their term, but Gurdaspur MP got `7.5 cr as he failed to submit progress report

   

From page 1 FATEHGARH SAHIB: Four-time Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lok Sabha MP from Gurdaspur Vinod Khanna has been the worst performer among all Punjab parliamentarians in utilising the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds, while Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya has been the best, having utilised 90.63% of the `12.5 crore allocated to him.

Congress MP from Jalandhar Santokh Singh Chaudhary has been adjudged the second best as he utilised 89.05% of the `7.5 crore he got.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann has been ranked sixth. He utilised 64.46% of the `10 crore allocated to him under the MP fund.

Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura utilised 75% of his `10 crore. The remaining eight MPs got `12.5 crore each (See box).

All 13 parliamentarians in Punjab were entitled to `15 crore under MPLAD funds in the first three years of their term.

The amount released to Punjab MPs is `147.5 crore of the total entitlement of `195 crore. The average utilisation of funds comes out to 67%.

As per the data released by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation just before the completion of twoand-half years of the Narendra Modi government, Khanna could utilise only about 42% of his `7.5 crore MPLADS funds as his deteriorating health has been keeping him away from the constituency.

Meanwhile, a report released by the ministry on 21 October said that no funds were allocated to Khanna and Chaudhary after the first instalment in 2015-16 as they failed to submit monthly progress reports, audit and utilisation certificates.Explaining reasons for nonrelease of funds, Pathankot deputy economic and statistical adviser Ravinder Pal Dutta said: “Utilisation of funds of previous instalment is to be justified to claim more funds.” Delay in sending proposals also hampers release of funds.

Punjab lives with a troubled legacy

TAKING STOCK On November 1, 1966, Punjab was trifurcated on linguistic lines in the name of Punjabi Suba. Haryana was born and three districts were merged with Himachal Pradesh. As Punjab and Haryana gear up to celebrate the 50th anniversary, Hindustan Ti

From page 1 CHANDIGARH: Fifty years after it was reorganised with Punjabi language as the basis, Punjab lives with the troubled legacy of disputes with neighbouring Haryana and Himachal Pradesh over land and water.Trifurcated with the Punjab Re-organisation Act on November 1, 1966, the state is in dispute with Haryana on the sharing of river waters besides the transfer of the Union territory of Chandigarh and Punjabispeaking areas.

Politicians of Punjab and Haryana rake up these contentious issues on the eve of elections though they have no roadmap for their implementation.

The core issues of development, health, education and security remain concerns for both states five decades on.

Though Hindus and Sikhs were divided on the creation of a Punjabi Suba (state) on linguistic lines – with the Akalis calling for it and the Arya Samajis and Jan Sanghis opposing the idea – both communities later made peace with the division. CONDITIONS APPLY

The Punjabi Suba movement leaders were, however, disappointed.

“Langda Punjab (Lame Punjab),” was how Sant Fateh Singh, a key protagonist of the Punjabi Suba, described the state’s trifurcation in 1966.

He was upset with Sections 78-80 of the Act that gave control and management of river waters to the Centre through the Bhakra Beas Management Board; and Section 4 declaring Chandigarh a Union territory and capital of re-organised Punjab and newly created Haryana. The protagonists alleged that certain Punjabispeaking areas were left out of Punjab.Recounting the struggle, JS Grewal, a historian and former vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, says Shiromani Akali Dal’s iconic president Master Tara Singh led the struggle for a Punjabi Suba single-handedly. “Two peaceful morchas (agitations) for the Punjabi Suba were organised by the Akalis in 1955 and 1960. A large number of Sikhs were arrested but that paved a way for the creation of a new Punjab,” he says.

The proactive role of Sikhs in the 1965 India-Pakistan war also worked as a catalyst in the creation of a new Punjab as it established that Sikhs were pro-India. HISTORY IN THE MAKING

When Giani Kartar Singh initiated the demand for a Punjabi Suba soon after Independence, India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru opposed the idea as “a fundamentally wrong principle”.

Partap Singh Kairon, who was the chief minister of Punjab from 1956-64, also opposed the reorganisation but distanced himself from the issue after he was termed anti-Sikh.

The Centre banned pro-Punjabi Suba slogans and Master Tara Singh, who was leading the struggle, was arrested for defying the ban.

In August 1965, Sant Fateh Singh went on a fast and threatened self-immolation if the demand for a Punjabi Suba was not met. It was then that the Government of India appointed the Punjab Reorganisation Committee headed by Sardar Hukum Singh.

After the re-organisation in 1966, another struggle for “complete rights” was initiated. In October 1969, Darshan Singh Pheruman died on the 74th day of fast in Amritsar jail. His death marked the beginning of a new struggle, which still continues. WARRING FRONT

When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced the arbitration award in 1966, she chose to do so through a resolution in the Congress Working Committee, belying a political motive.

It was expected that the Hindi-speaking areas of Punjab would become part of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and New Delhi, depending on the geographical contiguity. The birth of Haryana came as a surprise.

“With its (Haryana’s) creation, Punjab got a permanent warring front. Haryana gets a major share of water from Punjab and shares its capital with the state. The re-organisation is unjustified,” says historian GS Dhillon.

But Panjab University historian M Rajivlochan, says, “Punjab and Haryana have gained as separate entities. They’ve seen brisk growth individually. As a part of Punjab, Haryana was backward.In the coming days, Hindustan Times takes a look at the state of the two states in terms of how they fared on the economy, agriculture, power, industry, health and sports fronts.

Eye on polls, Punjab to start free pilgrimage bus service to Amritsar

WILL PROVIDE PILGRIMS A GLIMPLSE OF NEWLY-OPENED HERITAGE WALK IN PRECINCTS OF GOLDEN TEMPLE AND THE WAR HEROES’ MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM

BATHINDA: After launching free bus and train service under the Mukh Mantri tirath yatra scheme, the Punjab government is going to launch free pilgrimage bus service for the people to visit Amritsar to have a glimpse of the newly-opened heritage walk in the precincts of Golden Temple and the war heroes’ memorial and museum.

The service is expected to kick off from November 1 and would cover al the 117 assembly constituencies in the state.

Earlier, the state government offered free train facility to Nanded Sahib, Varanasi and Ajmer Sharief, besides starting free bus service to the Salasar dham in Rajasthan.

On the sidelines of a statelevel function to mark the 105th birth anniversary of Sant Fateh Singh, one of the founders of Punjabi Suba, Rajya Sabha member Balwinder Singh Bhunder said the free bus service to Amritsar would help people to have a peep into the rich heritage and culture of Punjab.“The leaders can’t explain the grandeur of the heritage street in their speeches, therefore the state government has planned free bus service to ferry people to Amritsar,” Bhunder said.

Seconding Bhunder’s views, cabinet minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon and Bholath MLA Bibi Jagir Kaur said the heritage street and war heroes’ memorial are best in the country and people must visit them as the government had put a lot of effort to promote culture and tourism.

Meanwhile, the SAD leaders used the stage to exhort people to vote for the SAD-BJP combine in the coming elections and slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.Attacking Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over his meetings with panthic leaders in Punjab, Sekhon said Kejriwal was trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the state by garnering support from radical forces.