Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal today paid rich tributes to freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai and said that he fought the British imperialism all his life and acted as a inspiring light for numerous other freedom fighters such as Shaheed Bhagat Singh.Speaking on the occasion he said that history of Punjab is replete with untold number of sacrifices made for the sake of freedom of country with maximum from state undergoing life imprisonments at ndaman-Nicobar and many other embracing martyrdom. He said that he salutes village Dhudike which has produced eminent martyrs of Indian freedom struggle.Calling SAD a party of freedom fighters, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the party was always in forefront of independence movement and even after independence, it continued to fight for protecting interests of farmers and poor people.The Deputy CM informed that SAD waged a relentless struggle when democracy was threatened in emergency time in 1975. He exhorted people to not fall into the trap of false promises of other parties and said that ‘Apna apna hi hunda hai’.
Addressing a mammoth gathering at Lala Lajpat Rai Government College here on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that only SAD-BJP has interests of the people of Punjab at its heart as only under leadership of Chief Minister, S. Parkash Singh Badal, has the Punjab made real progress. He listed waiving of tubewell bills, enhancing old age pension to Rs. 500 from Rs. 250, Shagan Scheme, Atta Dal Scheme which has benefitted 40 lakhfamilies, health and accidental insurance for poor people, farmers and traders, pension of Rs. 1000 to Sangharshi Yoddhas undergoing prison term during emergency and Punjabi Suba Morcha and 4 and 6 laning of roads.Disclosing about infrastructural projects, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that work on 4 laning of Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar-Moga-Barnala-Jind road projects would begin in 15 days costing Rs. 2500 crore. He also informed that all major towns of state would be provided with sewerage and water supply facilities at a cost of Rs. 4000 crore.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said that Bathinda-Chandigarh road would also be 4 laned and Bathinda-Amritsar road would also be widened. He also announced grants of Rs. 22 crore for development of Baghapurana, 24 crore each for Nihal singh wala and Dharamkot and Rs. 12.5 crore for villages of Moga assembly segment. On the occasion, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal also announced Ajitwal to be made a Sub-Tehsil. He announced a grant of Rs. 5 crore for auditorium of Lala Lajpat Rai Government College besides announcing Rs. 3 and half crore for Astroturf at college. Apart from this, the Deputy Chief Minister laid foundation stone of widening and strengthening of ink road NH-95 to chuharchak to dhudike. The Deputy Chief Minister also announced Rs. 50 lakh for library at smarak of Lala Lajpat Rai and Rs. 20 lakh for Radha Krishan School. Earlier, he paid floral homage to Lala Lajpat Rai at village Dhudike.On this occasion, Agriculture Minister, Punjab, Jathedar Tota Singh, Tourism Minister S. Sohan Singh Thandal, Industry-Commerce and Technical Education and Industrial Training Minister, Punjab, Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal, Punjab BJP President Mr. Kamal Sharma, MLA Hari Singh Zira, MLA Nihal Singh Wala Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike and OSD to Dy CM Mr. Paramjit Singh Sidhwan were also present.