India Attained Freedom Due to Fighters, Not Congress: Parkash Singh Badal

Fatehgarh Sahib: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday dismissed Congress' role in the national freedom struggle, saying the country got freedom due to the sacrifices by fighters.

"The country attained freedom due to supreme sacrifices of great heroes like Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Madan Lal Dhingra, Kartar Singh Sarabha Lala Lajpat Rai and not because of Congress," he said here.

Addressing gatherings in villages near here, he said more than 80 per cent of the freedom fighters who were either exiled or attained martyrdom hailed from the state.

The SAD leader claimed that Congress was in no way associated with watershed movements in the country's freedom struggle like Kuka, Ghadar, Kamagata Maru, agrarian, Gurdwara Reforms and Babbar Akali.

He claimed that Congress and its leaders were in the habit of self-glorification and misled people by boasting about their contribution in freedom struggle, urging them to beware of Congress' "dirty tantrums" and not to get swayed away by their agenda.

Badal accused Congress of meddling in social, economic, political as well as religious affairs of the state in general and Sikhs in particular.

He said a true Punjabi would never forget Operation Blue Star and the killing of thousands of innocents in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and added that Congress would never be forgiven.

Badal accused Congress and AAP of conniving to deprive the state of its water by construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

Stressing that Sangat Darshan was the most democratic programme in the country, the Chief Minister said this flagship programme of SAD-BJP government was acting as a catalyst to redress the grievances of the people in a time- bound manner.

Badal said unique programme was being carried out in the state with the sole motive of ensuring overall development of the state and welfare of its people.

He said it was the duty of the state government to protect peace, communal harmony and brotherhood in the state.

He said the state government was keeping a strict vigil in the wake of a proposed call of 'Sarbat Khalsa' (congregation of sikhs) on November 10 and stressed that no one would be allowed to take law in their hands.

Badal said the state government was fully prepared to foil any sort of attack on the peace and prosperity of the state.