Indisposed Badal examined at PGIMER, meets war widows

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was on Wednesday examined by doctors at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here following indisposition.

"Following the advice of doctors of PGIMER, Chandigarh, Badal has cancelled all his pre-scheduled engagements across the state till October 1," a spokesman of the Chief Minister's office said here.

The team of doctors attending on the country's oldest serving Chief Minister has advised complete bed rest to him for the next couple of days, the spokesman said.

However, defying ill-health, Badal, 88, met a delegation of war widows at his residence on Wednesday and assured them that their demands with regard to allotment of land under the government policy or compensation in lieu thereof would be met.

The delegation comprised family members of martyrs of the 1965 and 1971 wars who were promised allotment of land or compensation but they did not get it over the last four to five decades.

The families of martyrs had started a protest outside Badal's residence here for the second time within one month.

They have been demanding that they be allotted agriculture land as per the policy of the state government in this regard, or, if an appropriate chunk of land is not available, the concerned families might be given financial compensation in lieu of that.

Badal spoke telephonically to Financial Commissioner (Revenue) K.B.S. Sidhu, who was away to Delhi for an official meeting, and asked him to find an appropriate solution to the issue. A meeting in this regard has been fixed for October 3.

Badal urged the protesting families of martyrs to return to their homes.

--IANS

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