Former Punjab CM Badal seeks intervention of Modi in NRI’s deportation case
Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “intervene personally and effectively” in NRI Darshan Singh Dhaliwal’s deportation case
Reacting strongly to the IGI Airport authorities sending former cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra’s brother Darshan Singh Dhaliwal, an NRI, back to the United States after denying him entry to India, Punjab former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “intervene personally and effectively” to get the injustice vacated immediately.
Badal also requested the PM to personally invite Dhaliwal as a “goodwill gesture which will send a positive signal to the NRIs”. The former CM also spelt an agenda for agriculture, which among other things, includes the revocation of three farm 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 the list of crops for ensured marketing with MSP.
A statement issued by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) claimed that Dhaliwal was sent back from the IGI Airport on October 23-24 night with the authorities saying that this was being done as a punishment for organising langar for the agitating farmers on the Delhi borders. Calling it an affront to the “sacred practice”, Badal also urged the PM to take stern action against the erring officials who “brought a bad name to the country with their action”.
Detailing his agenda for agriculture, the SAD leader said any legislation, policy or administrative decision affecting the destiny of farmers must be undertaken only after taking the stakeholders on board. He said farmers must be effectively involved in decision-making processes on issues affecting their destiny. “For this, I suggest that the government should set up a statutory panel, with equal representation to representatives of farmers, agricultural experts and farm economists for the formulation of government policy on farming and farmers,” he added.