I wanted to be a doctor: Badal

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has said that he initially wanted to be a doctor but became a politician after he found medical studies to be tough.
In his witticism-infused inaugural address at the 68th Punjab IMA medical conference PIMACON-2015 here last night, Badal said that he had high regards for doctors as he considered them second to God.
"But I have another reason for my great respect for this noble profession. I also wanted to be a physician but ended up becoming a politician," Badal told the amused gathering of medicos.
He divulged that he had taken up FSC Medical to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor but "kismat ne saath nahi ditta" (luck did not favour me).

"Medical di padayi badi aukhi si (medical studies were very difficult). We remained busy with dissecting frogs all day while our Arts counterparts played and enjoyed as they had plenty of free time. So I shifted to Arts," he said amid smiles from the audience.
"Then I wanted to become an officer. In those days PCS officers were nominated. Giani Kartar Singh, a very influential leader in those days, got me nominated to PCS but he asked me not to join it. Giani ji told me that I was not to do a job but will one day be in a position to give jobs," Badal recounted amid cheers.

"So I joined politics and started my political career as a Sarpanch. Then I graduated to my present post of 'mukh sevadar of Punjab' (chief minister of Punjab) after becoming a member of Block Samiti and MLA," he continued.

He said that he also studied Law for becoming a lawyer but destiny willed otherwise.
"Kudrat kam laindi ai te tuhadi kismet decide kardi ai (nature ordains and directs your destiny)," he said.
"Dreaming to be doctor but ending up in politics proves my point," he said.
Badal, who started his address in English, shifted to Punjabi soon after, saying, "Mere khyal vich Punjabi theek rahu" (I think Punjabi language will be good for the occasion).

(REOPENS DES41)
Meanwhile, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal who holds the Home portfolio, today gave a call to check narco-terrorism by introducing modern surveillance on the international border with Pakistan even as he announced that Punjab had the highest drug conviction rate in the country and was implementing an effective de-addiction drive.
In a statement here, the deputy chief minister said the porous and riverine tracts alongside the border with Pakistan and "lack of sufficient manpower" to man the international border effectively were hurting Punjab and the nation and effective steps should be taken immediately to seal the border and stop smuggling of drugs into the state.

Sukhbir said the party's stand for complete sealing of the international border had been vindicated by the courts recently and the Border Security Force should be provided modern equipment to foil Pakistan's plan to spread narco-terrorism in the country.
He alleged that a vicious campaign had also been launched by the Congress to malign the fair name of Punjab and brand its entire youth as drug addicts.
"This is being done even though it was the laxity during the ten years old Congress-led UPA rule that narco-terrorism had reared its ugly head in the country", he claimed.
He said Punjab had launched a crusade against drugs and there should be no room for dirty politics on this issue as the mud-slinging would only strengthen the hands of anti-Punjab and anti-national forces to weaken Punjab.

He said last year, the state narcotics control bureau had confiscated 63 consignments in the border areas, besides some heavy seizures of drugs which included seizure of 12 kg heroin in district Tarn Taran, 18 kg heroin in Amritsar, 13 kg heroin in Ferozepur, 25 kg heroin in Fazilka and 74 kg heroin in Ferozepur.
He further said in 2014, a total of 14,482 cases were registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and 17,001 persons arrested whereas in 2015, total 10,162 cases were registered under NDPS Act and the number of persons put behind bars was 11,874.