Daughter-in-law of Punjab’s first political family of Badals, Harsimrat Kaur is the Union Minister for Food Processing. An MP from Bathinda, she is the wife of Sukhbir Singh Badal, the deputy chief minister of Punjab. Her brother Bikram Singh Majithia is also a minister in the Punjab government led by her father-in-law Parkash Singh Badal. In conversation with DNA, she shares some political insights, as the campaign to claim the throne in Chandigarh takes a feverish pitch.
You have been voted to power twice. Why should people vote for you again?
We have been able to restore peace and order in Punjab despite being a border state. Whether it is narco terrorism or other forms of it, we have been able to give a stable government. There has been no caste agitation in Punjab like the Jat or Patidar agitation in other states. So I will count it as an achievement. I’m happy to say be it electricity, power or water, we have done well. We have become a power surplus state with the cheapest rate of electricity in the country. Our record of road connectivity is very good and our welfare schemes have done well, like the atta-dal or Shagun schemes.
Despite the fact that you have been appreciated for your heritage initiatives and rural infrastructure, there is another side of the story. Unemployment rate is high including debt to GDP ratio.
The unemployment rate has come down. We have increased revenue of the state. We have brought down liabilities. Look at air connectivity in Punjab. Besides Gurgaon there is no other airport in Haryana. We have 5 airports. We have concentrated on power and water supply. Our work cannot be denied. Amarinder Singh cannot name one thing he did in 5 years as chief minister.
How do you rate your political opponents?
Congress is the main opponent. Kejriwal is not a factor anymore. There was a hype during elections. Punjab witnessed 10 years of UPA’s anti-incumbency and 8 years of our rule. That’s the reason why four AAP MPs got elected. Now we have seen what happened to them. One of them came drunk to the Parliament. There is infighting in AAP. Kejriwal is the most discredited leader one can find in Delhi.
What is your view about Navjyot Sidhu who will contest with a Congress ticket?
Rolling stones gathers no moss. He first wanted to join Kejriwal, then he formed his own party, and now he is out shopping with the Congress. He has lost credibility. He was busy with his shows but kept blaming the government. With the government in the Centre, Sidhu could have done a lot. But he fought with all the local leaders.
And what do you think of Amarinder Singh saying it is his last election?
He says it every time. He blackmailed Rahul Gandhi and threatened to break the Congress and I doubt the Gandhis will forget that. They will dump Amarinder after they use him. That is why Sidhu and Manpreet are in the party.
Your view on the Nabha jail break and Pathankot incident?
They don’t reflect on the state law and order. Our neighbouring country is behind it. They wanted to disrupt Punjab as well. The jailbreak was an unfortunate incident. Our police did a splendid job in both the cases. In the latter case, the terrorist was caught. Police played a proactive role.
How do you think demonetization has affected the country?
Demonetization has a positive impact on the country. I don’t think there is a single person in India who can deny that it was aimed at eradicating black money in the country. Public by large is okay, but Opposition is trying to make an issue out of the little public inconvenience. Look at the bypoll results. We won most of them.
Finally, how do you approach the drug issue?
It is unfortunate that the drug issue is being politicised. Rahul Gandhi said that 70% of Punjab's youth are addicted to drugs. His speech was based on a drug survey done in a rehab Centre. It took account of a limited number of people and he used it for the state. Less than 1% of Punjabis were found using drugs. A similar drug test was done where only 1.2% tested positive. We have a live border with Pakistan. People often go to work on their fields on the other side. This makes smuggling easier. However, the first line of defense is the BSF. It is their job to prevent it. The current situation shows that the BSF needs to do more. However, it is the Congress who left the border porous.
And will this election showcase Sukhbir Badal as the CM candidate?
It has been made very clear that he feels honoured to work under the leadership of Prakash Singh Badal. It is the combination of both Badals that works for us.
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 "Harsimrat Kaur")
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