Punjab to raise issue of artefacts: Badal

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today reiterated that the Punjab government would raise with the Centre the issue of retrieving rare books and other artefacts taken by the Indian Army from Sikh Reference Library, Amritsar, during the Operation Blue Star.
"These rare artefacts were of immense historical and religious significance for each and every Sikh," he said.
Refuting Congress' allegations of a "political or hidden agenda" behind demanding back these articles, Badal said it was the bounden duty of the state government to bring them back as it was part of a great cultural legacy of the state.
The Chief Minister said Congress leaders were habitual of misleading the people by raising the bogey of terrorism after every move of the state government.

He said the state government was committed to maintaining peace, communal harmony and brotherhood at every cost.
"The Congress leaders see threat to peace in each and every action of the state government whereas the fact is that they are themselves vary of development and progress of state", added Badal.
He said the demand of state Congress Chief Partap Singh Bajwa for unconditional release of 13 students involved in thrashing a private bus driver and conductor at Faridkot recently would be dealt accordingly by police as it was a matter related to law and order.
However, he said, there was hardly a need for violent protests by any section of the society as the state government was always ready to listen them and added that his doors were always open for everybody.