Sangur August 1:
            Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal cautioned the people not to be influenced by the false propaganda of the Congress party, which was deliberately resorting to cheap tactics to take over the control of SGPC.
Badal, who was addressing a gathering on the 71st martyrdom anniversary of great martyr Shaheed Udham Singh during a State level function organised, Badal dared the Congress not to interfere in the religious matters of SGPC keeping an eye on its forthcoming general elections.
Chief Minister further said that Congress was bent upon to capture the control of SGPC. He said that it was ironical that Congress, claiming to be a party with secular credentials was encroaching upon the jurisdiction of Sikh religious matters. Badal also recalled the derogatory role of Congress Government in Haryana on the issue of having a separate Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for State at the behest of centre.
Paying the floral tributes to Shaheed Udham Singh, Badal said that the history of Indian freedom movement was replete with saga of numerous sacrifices made by the Punjabis from time immemorial during India’s freedom struggle but it was a matter of great regret that Punjab had never given its due recognition by the Central Government.
Badal said that our freedom fighters and patriots laid down their lives for the betterment of our countrymen. Badal said: “It is a sad plight that the aspirations of our freedom fighters had not yet been cherished because they dreamt of an Independent India free from the maladies of illiteracy, unemployment and starvation.”
He said that these conditions prevailed through out the country and it was extremely shocking to note that even 63 years after independence over 40 per cent Indians live in penury earning less than Rs 60 per day and were bereft of basic necessities of life like housing, clean drinking water, basic health and education facilities.
The Chief Minister urged the Centre to immediately revise the norms under calamity relief fund to compensate the farmers adequately. Badal also mentioned that he had already taken up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to declare the channelisation of river Ghaggar as a national project in Punjab region at a cost of Rs 1,175 crore to save the people of Patiala, Sangrur and Mansa districts from the fury of floods resulting in extensive damage caused to life, property and crops by this seasonal rivulet.
Earlier, in his welcome address local MLA and PWD (B&R) Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa also paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Udham Singh and described him a great martyr.