Badal for a longer Mon Session

Jalandhar, July 16: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today advocated a longer Monsoon Session of the state assembly.

Talking to reporters here today, Mr Badal said that the Monsoon Session is being summoned for brief period of two days and this is neither sufficient nor appropriate.

he said that he had always advocated longer sessions and more sittings of the house to ensure more participation of the members in the legislative business.

He reiterated that the draft of the proposed Rural Indebtedness Bill should be made available to his party in advance to give it a reasonable time to study the le legislation.

Mr Badal charged the UPA Government at the Centre and the ruling Congress with adopting an ''anti-Sikh attitude and demanded that the government should grant special package for farmers of Punjab on the lines of package granted for farmers of Maharastra.

He also condemned Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi's reported statement against the demand of the package for Punjab.

Mr Badal alleged that Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had failed in obtaining justice for farmers from the Centre.

UNI