Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said Shiromani Akali Dal will raise with the Centre issues pertaining to transfer of Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas to Punjab.
Every Punjabi was equally concerned with these emotive issues of the state, which had been till now hanging in fire due to the "discriminatory" attitude of the successive Congress governments at the Centre, he said on the sidelines of a function here.
He said the SAD always stood for giving Punjabi-speaking areas, legitimate share of river waters and Chandigarh to Punjab.
Taking a dig at Congress, Badal said it "deliberately denied" Punjabi speaking areas and Chandigarh to Punjab, for which the brave Punjabis would never forgive.
Earlier, paying floral tributes to Shaheed Darshan Singh Pheruman, the Chief Minister said this great son of the soil had laid down his life while observing fast unto death for the sake of getting Punjabi-speaking areas and Chandigarh back to the state.
Regretting that none of the state governments had ever recognised the contribution of Pheruman, Badal said that from the next year a state-level function would be held annually to mark the death anniversary of this great martyr, who laid down his life for the sake of Punjab after 74 days of hunger strike.
