Punjab chief minister Mr. Prakash Singh Badal:
• Punjabi farmers are fortunate that they are making progress in an honest and safe state like Gujarat • Expose those trying to malign image of Mr. Narendra Modi and government of Gujarat by holding a press conference in Chandigarh
Gujarat chief minister Mr. Narendra Modi:
• There is no question of confiscating land of Punjabi farmers or forced them out of Kutch district
A delegation of the Punjabi farmer families who have settled in Kutch today held a meeting with visiting Punjab chief minister Prakash Singh Badal, chief guest at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Agriculture Summit -2013, on Monday. During their meet with Punjab chief minister Mr. Badal at Mahatma Mandir, the Punjabi farmer families who have become active participant in the progressive, peaceful and business friendly environment of the state, praised the total cooperation of Gujarat government. They told Mr. Badal of it was being a deliberate political ploy to disgrace the state government and Mr. Narendra Modi, which they have condemned thoroughly.
Also the delegation extended an invitation of joint visit of Kutch by Mr. Modi and Mr. Badal, which the duo has accepted it. The families met Mr. Badal on the sidelines of first Vibrant Gujarat Global Agriculture Summit – 2013 at Gandhinagar.
While praising the Gujarat government’s compassion and sentiments of Punjabi farmers of Kutch, Mr. Badal said, “Punjabi farmers are fortunate to have been residing in a state which is honest, good law and order situation and safer social life, and where sisters and daughters with gold ornament on can roam around even at midnight without fear. Punjabis have made their names wherever they have stayed in the World.”
It should be noted that Gujarat chief minister and the government has made it very clear that there is no question of either taking away the land of Punjabi farmers to force them out of Kutch district. The visiting delegation from Kutch has accepted the suggestion of holding a press conference in Chandigarh to expose the political ploy behind it and those detractors trying to disgrace the Gujarat government when the issue is sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
Welcoming the sentiments of the Punjabi families toward Gujarat, Mr. Modi during his recent public speech made it clear that state government will take stern action against the official behind this entire issue and not the families but he will be dismissed first.
Gurudwara of Lakhpat which houses the charanpaduka of Guru Nanak, the Shikh Guru, was affected due to earthquake and later on it was restored. It also won the Asia Pacific Heritage Award. At no stage Gujarat government wanted to take away the land or forced the Punjabi families to leave the state, and no such question had arisen.
It was detractors of state government who spread this ill information to disgrace state under the guise of speaking for Punjabi families. And thus Punjabi farmers must understand this reality and must keep their faith in the state administration.
