The Punjab government has come under fire from a Union minister for allegedly failing to observe 'Anti-Terrorism Day' today on the occasion of the death anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
"The Centre and the Union home ministry had written to the chief secretaries of all states to observe May 21 as Anti-Terrorism Day.
"In Punjab, the state government did not bother to create awareness among the people against terrorism," alleged Union Minister of State for External Affairs and local MP, Preneet Kaur.
Kaur said that the objective behind the occasion was to wean away youth from terrorism and the cult of violence by highlighting the suffering which it had caused among common people.
Meanwhile, a government source said that officials have been busy with the counting of votes following the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samities elections of May 19.
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP coalition government in the state had observed Anti-Terrorism Day last year, sources added.
Gandhi was killed in a suicide bombing on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu where he had gone for campaigning.
From the very next year, the Centre started observing his death anniversary as the Anti-Terrorism Day.
