Ferozepore villagers condemn Radio Pakistan corruption diatribe on India

Ferozepur, May 19 : Villagers in Punjab's Ferozepur District have reacted with dismay and shock over the anti-India and anti-Punjab propaganda being aired on Radio Pakistan's "Punjabi Darbar" program.

The latest diatribe coming from across the border was focussed on the issue of corruption and political instability. The radio broadcast, which was heard by villagers and others, claimed that there were a number of corruption cases pending judgement in India. Surprisingly, according to those hearing the broadcast in Patarewalan in Ferozepur District, no mention was made of the corruption prevailing in Pakistan. As one local said: "It was evening, and we found a group of villagers listening to Gurbani on the radio. The broadcast was from across the border. We preferred spending some time with them. But suddenly after the Gurbani, the Punjabi Darbar programme started. It was full of anti-India sarcasm." "We were shocked, as were the villagers after listening to the cooked-up and baseless stories being aired as 'facts' through the programme to narrate corruption affecting India," he added. It was apparent that the broadcast was nothing but a work of total fiction meant to mislead innocent farmers on the Indian side of Punjab. This malicious campaign by Radio Pakistan is an effort to divert world attention away from the levels of corruption eating into the Pakistani administrative system. The residents in Patarewalan village laughed at the false allegation, but on a serious note added that these broadcasts would only create disharmony among the peace loving people of Punjab. "Whatever Pakistan is saying about corruption in India is totally false. Our country, India, is very nice. Pakistan should look at its own conditions first. There is peace and harmony prevailing in India," said Jaspreet Singh. Pakistan must stop airing such programmes of falsehood. "Pakistan is criticizing India without any reason. It should not do this. In India, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus live in peace and harmony. Pakistan should not try to create divisions among us. Their radio should stop such fictional and incorrect programmes," said Nachatar Singh, a local resident. unjabi Durbar has always sought to divide the people who have co-existed with each other for ages in Punjab. It describes the Government of India as a governing body that works only in favour of Hindus while neglecting the Sikhs, a claim rejected outrightly by all right thinking people in the region. Not many of them may know that the citizens of India have been granted "Right to Equality" as one of their fundamental rights under the Constitution of India.

ANI