“Atal Ji Was Not Just a Politician, He Was a Statesman”: Tarun Chugh Recalls His Contribution to Punjab on His 100th Birth Anniversary
Sri Anandpur Sahib (The Uttam Hindu): On the completion of 100 years of the birth of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a massive workers’ conference was organised in the Sri Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency as part of his nationwide birth centenary campaign. BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh attended the grand programme as the chief guest, while BJP Punjab Vice President Dr. Subhash Sharma participated as the special guest.
Atal Ji Raised His Voice in Parliament Against the 1984 Riots
Addressing party workers, Tarun Chugh said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not merely a politician but a true statesman. Recalling the days of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s Kashmir movement, he said that when Mukherjee entered Kashmir and was arrested, Atal Ji stood firmly by his side. Chugh said that even during the period of terrorism in Punjab, Atal Ji continuously worked for Hindu-Sikh brotherhood and peace in the state. During the 1984 Sikh massacre, when the entire nation was shocked, the strongest voice raised in Parliament against this horrific massacre was that of Atal Ji.
₹300 Crore Granted on Khalsa Creation Tricentennial
Tarun Chugh said that during the celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa Panth in 1999, a grant of ₹300 crore was given under the leadership of Atal Ji for the development of Sri Anandpur Sahib. Referring to Atal Ji’s good governance, he said that schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, which laid a network of roads across the country, the nuclear tests at Pokhran that made India a powerful nation, and defeating Pakistan in the Kargil war were hallmarks of his strong leadership.
Dr. Subhash Sharma Raised Key Issues of the Region
Special guest Dr. Subhash Sharma highlighted important local issues related to the Sri Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency. He advocated for the expansion of NFL (National Fertilizers Limited) Nangal, stating that it would not only provide employment to local youth but also boost Punjab’s economy. Along with this, he appealed for the Centre’s support to develop Nangal and Sri Anandpur Sahib as major tourism hubs.
Demand for Channelisation of Swan River to Prevent Floods
Referring to the flood problem in the region, Dr. Sharma raised the issue of channelisation of the Swan River, which merges into the Sutlej River. He expressed concern that while channelisation has been completed up to the Himachal Pradesh border, the incomplete work in Punjab results in dozens of villages getting submerged every year. He also spoke about projects related to Railways and NHAI.
The conference was attended by Assembly In-charge Parminder Sharma, Jitendra Atwal, all Mandal Presidents, and senior party leadership.