Badal seeks Modi's intervention on deporting Sikh NRI
Darpan News Desk IANS, 26 Oct, 2021 10:51 AM
Chandigarh, Oct 26 (IANS) Reacting strongly to the IGI airport authorities sending Darshan Singh Dhaliwal back to the US after denying him entry to India, five-time Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "intervene personally and effectively" to get the order vacated.
Badal also requested the PM to personally invite Dhaliwal as a "goodwill gesture which will send a great positive signal to NRIs".
Dhaliwal was sent back from the Indira Gandhi International airport on October 23-24 night with the authorities saying that this was being done as a punishment for organizing a 'langar' or community kitchen for agitating farmers on Delhi borders.
Calling it as an affront to the "sacred practice of 'langar' started by the great Guru Sahiban", Badal also urged Modi to take stern action against the erring officials who "brought a bad name to the country with their action".
Badal said organising or sponsoring a sacred socio-religious work such as 'langar' has always been regarded as one of the highest and noblest duties for every devout follower of Sikhism.
"Doing so for the country's 'annadata' (bread winners) is a noble task that needs to be emulated rather than penalized."
Calling the on-going agitation of farmers "a national movement", Badal said there was nothing wrong or illegal in helping those taking part in this civilized, peaceful, democratic movement.
The former Punjab CM also spelt an agenda for agriculture, which, includes revocation of three black laws, taking stakeholders on board before any legislation affecting them, setting up a panel with farmers and farm experts to advise the government on agriculture policies and enlarging of the list of crops for ensured marketing with MSP.
The journalists body also sought issuance of guidelines on surveillance on Indian citizens and safeguarding them from electronic surveillance, spying and hacking.
In a written reply to an unstarred question in the Lower House, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, said that three cases have been registered by the Delhi Police in connection with the violent attacks on students and some teachers on the JNU campus last year.
The 79-year-old Governor's actions "led to outrage" at the Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and ministers of all three allies - Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress - present.
Incessant rains last week coupled with huge volumes of water from the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) have led to flood-like situation in seven districts of West Bengal, leaving at least 8 dead and displacing over 3 lakh people from their homes in the last four days.
The government is implementing market information system where the prices of vegetables are collected through Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis and disseminated for its use by the farmers through Agmarknet portal, mobile applications etc. for better price realisation, he said.
