…CM pulls up Opposition for not honouring martyrs

He added that the Congress has never acknowledged the valuable contribution of these martyrs in the national freedom struggle and the lack of a function was a testimony to it. “Congress leaders must not forget that they have been enjoying the fruits of power just because of sacrifices made by these legendary heroes,” the chief minister said.

Taking a dig at PPP chief Manpreet Singh Badal,the Chief Minister said Manpreet,“his dear nephew”,had constituted his political party here but has forgotten the date of martyrdom of these great heroes. Manpreet committed political suicide by the leaving the Shiromani Akali Dal but the unfortunate thing was that now he has also forgotten the martyrs of the country,Badal said.

The Chief Minister,meanwhile,said that the state government would construct the Jang-e-Azaadi Memorial within two years,to showcase the supreme sacrifices of the Punjabis in the national freedom struggle. He added that the memorial would come up in Kartarpur near Jalandhar at a cost of Rs 200 crore and would be a fitting tribute to the heroes of the freedom movement. He said that in the same manner a memorial to mark the great services rendered by Punjabis in the Armed forces of the country would come up in Amritsar. On the occasion,the Chief Minister felicitated the niece of Shaheed Bhagat Singh,Raminder Kaur Mann and Vinod Thapar,the nephew of Shaheed Sukhdev.

Badal also used the opportunity to take on the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. The wrong policies of Congress have resulted in unemployment,poverty,inflation,illiteracy and corruption in the country,the chief minister said. He said that Congress governments have meted out discriminatory treatment to the state by interfering in its social,economic,political and even religious matters. He added that the Centre’s refusal to transfer Chandigarh to the state along with denial of legitimate share of river water in accordance with universally accepted Riparian Laws were a testimony to it.