Cong did "grave injustice" with Punjab: Badal

Asserting that Punjab has the "sole right" over Chandigarh, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today accused Congress of doing "grave injustice" with the state by "snatching" its capital.
On the sidelines of a state-level function to observe death anniversary of Harchand Singh Longowal here today, he said "There was hardly any parallel to it that the parent state has been devoid of capital as in case of Punjab".
He said despite announcing the handing over of Chandigarh to Punjab in Parliament, the then Prime Minister "backtracked" from it.
Badal alleged the state was also "divested" of Punjabi speaking areas and its legitimate share in river waters by the then Congress government.

"Nobody can deny this fact that being the parent state Punjab has the sole right on its capital city of Chandigarh" he said.
Badal said MLA from Amritsar Navjot Kaur Sidhu was "like his daughter".

He said the allegations leveled by her regarding non-execution of development works due to political interference were "completely baseless" and "totally irrational" as massive development was going on in the state.
Earlier, addressing the public, the Chief Minister squarely held the Congress party responsible for martyrdom of Longowal.
He said the Congress party "back stabbed" Longowal by not fulfilling the accord made with him.
Badal cited the non-implementation of "terms and conditions of accord led to his killing."

Earlier, in his address, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal while launching a scathing attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that "naxalite" elements have infiltrated in the party and comprises of "outsiders who are trying to capture power in Punjab at any cost".
AAP only believes in "confrontationist" ideology and if it comes to power then neither the wheat nor paddy of the Punjabi farmers would be lifted because it wants to exploit Punjab only as a base to spread its wings in other states, besides keeping the pot of confrontation with the Union Government boiling, he said.