Dr. Gandhi demanded Internal Autonomy for Punjab
New Delhi- Dr. Dharamvira Gandhi, Member Parliament Patiala while speaking in the monsoon session, called upon the Indian Parliament to consider Internal Autonomy for Punjab within the Indian Union.
Dr. Dharamvira drew the attention of the Parliament to the worsening economic and social condition of Punjab as witnessed in farmer’s suicides and young men in twenties and thirties daily dying due to drug menace. Dr. Gandhi expressed deep disappointment at the fact that a Punjab which once was the most prosperous state of India and had the highest Per Capita income, has fallen on such bad times that it has failed in its duty to provide health to its people and education to its youngsters. With agriculture failing to sustain the farmers and little industrial growth, unemployment and migration of youth has become rampant.
Drawing attention of the Parliament to the huge debt of more than 2 lac crores where debt servicing is to the tune of 25,000 crores per year the state is barely hand to mouth with no development activity or social welfare measures for its suffering peoples.
Member Parliament from Patiala reminded that nation that Punjab which was in forefront of freedom struggle, with huge sacrifices, was divested of its rights over its waters and other resources. He further added that Punjab worked hard on green revolution to provide food security to the nation at the cost of its soil, underground water and environment, thus falling prey to many dreadful diseases and desertification.
Dharamvira demanded that the only solution now available to people of Punjab is to have Internal Autonomy where it could manage its affairs well for the welfare of its own people.
