Date:09/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/09/stories/2006120918181300.htm

National

Badal's "gift" on 80th birthday

Sarabjit Pandher

Subsidised flour for poor if voted to power

Free water supply for irrigation, health insurance for farmers promised

Mr. Badal revived secular ethos of Punjab: I.K. Gujral

AJITWAL (Punjab): Shiromani Akali Dal president and the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, said that if voted to power in the next Assembly polls, the Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance Government would provide flour and pulses at Rs 4.00 and Rs. 20 a kg respectively to Dalits and the poor in Punjab.

Mr. Badal was addressing a rally organised by the Youth Akali Dal on his 80th birthday here, about 50 km from Ludhiana. Speakers resorted to strident "anti Congress" rhetoric in the first major event after the Supreme Court allowed a trial against the Badals in a corruption case.

The veteran leader assured farmers a new health insurance scheme, under which every family would get free medical care up to Rs. 2 lakh each.

For the Dalits, Mr. Badal guaranteed free power up to 400 units for every family and a "quantum jump" in the size of marriage allowances for girls.

Akali Dal MP and party general secretary Sukhbir Singh said his party would accord the highest priority to "reawakening and streamlining the youth force" by setting up a Youth Development Boardwith eleven members and a chairman in the rank of a cabinet minister.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, in his first public appearance after his conviction in a road rage case, said the Assembly elections was a direct contest between Mr. Badal who was committed to serving the people and Capt. Amarinder Singh, who headed an ``anti-people repressive regime.''

The former Prime Minister, I.K. Gujral, said that the greatest contribution of Mr. Badal towards Indian polity was mending the Hindu-Sikh divide and reviving the secular ethos in Punjab.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advanirued that the atmosphere of political vendetta created by the present Government had put Punjab back a few years.

The BJP chief Rajnath Singh said it was ironic that the Punjab farmer, who had made immense contribution in making the country not only self-sufficient in foodgrains, but also a food exporting country, had been driven to committing suicide in thousands due to poverty.