Harsimrat K Badal calls for starting winter session of parliament by commemorating the sacrifice of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur on his 350 th death anniversary. (Also urges the centre not to take decisions which weakened the federal structure of the country) Chandigarh 30 November ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal today appealed to the union government and the floor leaders in parliament to pay tribute to “Hind ki Chadar” Guru Tegh Bahadur ji on his 350 th martyrdom anniversary to commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by the Guru to safeguard religious freedom besides urging the centre not to weaken the federal structure. Talking to newsmen on the eve of the parliament session here, Harsimrat Badal said it would be a fitting tribute to the great Guru if the winter session was started by commemorating the Guru’s sacrifice and pledging to uphold his ideals. Mrs Badal also highlighted how the federal structure was being weakened by ill conceived Bills and decisions. She said the decision to make Chandigarh a union territory, which had since been paused, would isolate the State and spoil its peace. Asking why the Bill had been paused and not halted permanently, the Bathinda MP said such proposals also served to weaken the federal structure and alienate States from the country. Mrs Badal said earlier also the central government had taken a number of anti - Punjab decisions. She said Punjab’s control over the Bhakra Beas Management Board, which regulated the flow of the Beas waters in the region, had been severely diluted by changing rules to allow for nomination of Members from any State. She said similarly the centre had recently taken a decision to change the character of the Panjab University by reducing Punjab’s influence over the institution and ending elections to its Senate. She said even though the decision was reversed following a sustained agitation, it had alienated Punjabis. Mrs Badal also spoke on narco- terrorism and the need to halt it with the entire border and adjoining districts being under BSF control. She said a recent report of the Punjab Police had cited that the smuggling of arms and ammunition as well as drugs had increased five fold. “The Punjab and Haryana high court has also recently observed that there are more drug peddlers in Punjab than users”. She said in such a light more concerted efforts needed to be taken by the centre to seal the borders effectively.

Harsimrat K Badal calls for starting winter session of parliament by commemorating the sacrifice of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur on his 350 th death anniversary.

(Also urges the centre not to take decisions which weakened the federal structure of the country)

Chandigarh 30 November ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal today appealed to the union government and the floor leaders in parliament to pay tribute to “Hind ki Chadar” Guru Tegh Bahadur ji on his 350 th martyrdom anniversary to commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by the Guru to safeguard religious freedom besides urging the centre not to weaken the federal structure. Talking to newsmen on the eve of the parliament session here, Harsimrat Badal said it would be a fitting tribute to the great Guru if the winter session was started by commemorating the Guru’s  sacrifice and pledging to uphold his ideals. Mrs Badal also highlighted how the federal structure was being weakened by ill conceived Bills and decisions. She said the decision to make Chandigarh a union territory, which had  since been paused, would isolate the State and spoil its peace. Asking why the Bill had been paused and not halted permanently, the Bathinda MP said such proposals also served to weaken the federal structure and alienate States from the country. Mrs Badal said earlier also the central government had taken a number of anti - Punjab decisions. She said Punjab’s control over the Bhakra Beas Management Board, which regulated the flow of the Beas waters in the region, had been severely diluted by changing rules to allow for nomination of Members from any State. She said similarly the centre had recently taken a decision to change the character of the Panjab University by reducing Punjab’s influence over the institution and ending elections to its Senate. She said even though the decision was reversed following a sustained agitation, it had alienated Punjabis. Mrs Badal also spoke on narco- terrorism and the need to halt it with the entire border and adjoining districts being under BSF control. She said a recent report of the Punjab Police had cited that the smuggling of arms and ammunition as well as drugs had increased five fold. “The Punjab and Haryana high court has also recently observed that there are more drug peddlers in Punjab than users”. She said in such a light more concerted efforts needed to be taken by the centre to seal the borders effectively.