41. Punjab needs jobs not golf course project

230 Acres of Panchayat’s land for a golf course project- violation of “ The Punjab Village Common Land (Regulations) Rules 1964”

 Sukhpal Singh Khaira,

MLA Bholath.

May 18, 2010  

Congress party strongly opposes the illegitimate and unconstitutional move of the feudal Chief Minister to gift prime 230 Acres of Panchayat land belonging to 11 Panchayats around Mullanpur to DLF Company for a golf course project. This move is a clear violation of “ The Punjab Village Common Land (Regulations) Rules 1964” which has been purposely diluted by the SAD-BJP govt. to lease out the said land for 33 years to DLF for a profit making commercial venture.

The Congress lambasts the state govt. that while the people of Punjab are unable to get basic amenities such as education, health services, safe drinking water the feudal and aristocratic rulers like Badal are going ahead with luxurious projects like golf courses, five star hotels in Bathinda and cricket stadiums. The state is facing a severe financial crunch with over Rs 65000 crores as debt, our 18397 govt. schools and 229 govt. hospitals are in shambles, lac of youth are unemployed and farmers are committing suicides with a colossal  Rs 35000 crore debt but yet the Badal’s want to promote golf in Punjab. Can any resident of these 11 Panchayats dream to play golf in such like projects?

This move to lease 230 Acres of land to DLF smacks of corruption and is definitely not in the interest of the people of these 11 Panchayats or Punjab. It is also shocking to learn that the minutes of the empowered committee meeting chaired by CM Parkash Singh Badal on Feb. 23 were kept a closely guarded secret in order to quietly facilitate the transfer of this prime land.

The Congress party opposes tooth and nail such a shady deal and demands that state govt. immediately scrap this proposal to throw away such costly land to DLF under the garb of mega projects. The Congress also urges the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court to intervene in the matter and take suo moto cognizance of this highly unconstitutional move of the state govt.