Akalis upset over Pakistan Radio allegations

Chandigarh, Mar 27 : Pakistan Radio effort to spread the rumour that that the ruling Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance in Punjab was trying to establish a Sikh wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has evoked strong reaction from the Prakash Singh Badal Government.

'Punjabi Durbar' programme of Pakistan Radio in one of its recent broadcast has also alleged that political parties in India are serving big industrial houses.

Strongly rejecting the allegations levelled by Pakistan Radio, D S Cheema media advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal said: "The Pakistani media must look into its own affairs. India is the largest democratic country and she cannot ignore common man."

Talking about allegation about setting up of a Sikh wing of the RSS, Cheema said: "I haven't heard about such things taking place here. And if someone wants to do bad campaigning they are free to do so, but we will keep on doing our job of serving people."

Rebutting Pakistan Radio accusation that minority communities receive bad treatment in India, the media advisor to Punjab Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister of "this country is from minority community and in past we had the Presidents belonging to minority community."

Though Pakistan has got a new government, the law and order situation in Pakistan is still tense. Pakistan Radio is spreading falsehood to hide that internal turmoil.

This is not the first time that Punjabi Durbar programme has annoyed people of the state. In the past too it had tried to infuse separatist ideas, but received hard-hitting replies.

It would not be wrong to say that Pakistan Radios Punjabi Darbar exhortations have had little or no impact on Sikhs.

People say that such radio programmes indicate that Pakistan cannot see a prosperous and developed Punjab.

ANI