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At 89, he is the country’s oldest serving Chief Minister. And he is showing no signs of giving up any time soon. Punjab Chief Minister <keyword id="55130" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parkash-Singh-Badal">Parkash Singh Badal</keyword> is now in full election mode and is telling the electorate that their votes will give him another 10 years of life. 
 
“Your vote is important. If you give me another chance to serve you, it will add 10 years to my life,” Badal, who is actively reaching out to people across Punjab through his ‘Sangat Darshan’ programmes across rural and urban areas, has been telling the people in recent weeks. 
 Punjab’s ruling <keyword id="6357030" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiromani-Akali-Dal">Shiromani Akali Dal</keyword>, of which he is the chief patron, is seeking a straight third term in office with Badal being at the helm of affairs. 
 As he turns 89 on December 8, Badal certainly does not fit Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>’s idea that “politicians should retire at the age of 75”. But for Badal, who has been a long-time ally for the <keyword id="58687" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP), Modi certainly will make an exception. 
 As the five-time Punjab Chief Minister seeks a sixth term in office, and faces a tough challenge from the Congress and the new entrant on Punjab’s political scene — the <keyword id="6354944" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aam-Aadmi-Party">Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> (AAP) — Badal is certainly not showing any signs of getting tired or even retiring any time soon. 
 His political opponent and former Chief Minister, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh, disputes his age. Amarinder claims that Badal is already actually 94. (He made the claim last week in the presence of Badal’s son <keyword id="6375801" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sukhbir-Badal">Sukhbir Badal</keyword> at an event in New Delhi.) 
 
“Badal saab”, as he is referred to by most people around him, starts his day early and actively goes through his daily routine of meetings with officers, ministers, delegations and others who come to meet him. 
 
Badal’s “Sangat Darshan” (meeting with the people) programme takes him to several villages and towns across Punjab every week. The programme is basically to take the government to the people’s doorsteps and hundreds throng every venue where he stops and listens to problems and suggestions the people want to share with him. 
 
Those close to him say “Badal saab” is always active and alert despite his age. He has been in public life for nearly 70 years now. 
 
“He is quite alert and his memory is far better than most of the much younger people who are around him. He has a mass appeal which no one can match,” an aide told IANS. 
 
Hailing from a simple agricultural background, Badal forayed into politics by getting elected as a sarpanch (village headman) in 1947, the year the country won its Independence. He was first elected to the Punjab assembly in 1957 on a Congress party ticket. After leaving the Congress soon after, Badal ended up opposing the Congress policies and governments — a thing he continues to do even now. 
 Well-known for his witty one-liners and memory of people and events, Badal, who was conferred the <keyword id="15575" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Padma-Vibhushan">Padma Vibhushan</keyword> — the country’s second-highest civilian honour — in 2015 by the Modi government, has always remained centre-stage in Punjab’s politics. 
 
Born December 8, 1927, at Abul Khurana village near Malout in southwest Punjab, he has been Chief Minister five times — 1970-71, 1977-1980, 1997-2002, 2007-2012 and 2012 onwards. He has been in power in Punjab continuously since March 2007. He was briefly a Union minister in 1977 in the Morarji Desai government. 
 
Badal’s wife, Surinder Kaur, died in 2011 of cancer. The couple had two children — son Sukhbir and daughter Preneet. 
 Badal’s close family members are all in the government. Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Akali Dal President and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, now dominates both party and government affairs. Badal’s daughter-in-law <keyword id="301801" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Harsimrat-Badal">Harsimrat Badal</keyword> is the Union Minister for Food Processing. His son-in-law Adaish Pratap Singh Kairon is a cabinet minister in his government as is Harsimrat’s younger brother, Bikram Singh Majithia.

Meet India's oldest Chief Minister. At 89, he seeks votes to add 10 years to life

All the Badals, led by five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the eldest candidate at 94 in fray for the 117-member Punjab Assembly, as well as their kin, on Thursday lost to AAP's greenhorns. The eldest Badal, who won the seat five times in a row since 1997, lost to Gurmeet Khuddian from Lambi by 11,357 votes, while his son and Shiromani <keyword id="42824" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="akali-dal" source="Orion">Akali Dal</keyword> (SAD) chief and Member of Parliament Sukhbir Badal faced humiliating defeat from Jalalabad, and his son-in-law Adesh Partap Singh Kairon faced defeat from Patti in Tarn Taran district from AAP's Laljit Singh Bhullar. Sukhbir Badals's brother-in-law Bikram Majithia and his estranged cousin Manpreet Badal, who was in the fray on a Congress ticket, also lost the poll from their respective seats. As per the Election Commission, AAP's Khuddian, a Congress rebel, was polled 65,717 votes and the elderly Badal got 54,360. The junior Badal has lost the elections by a margin of 23,310 votes from Jalalabad to AAP's Jagdeep Kamboj. Majithia, who was in the fray from Amritsar (East) seat, took the third spot, with 25,112 votes. His archrival and state Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu also suffered a loss in his seat, garnering only 32,807 votes. Both senior leaders were defeated by AAP's novice Jeevan Jyot Kaur, who received 39,520 votes. A five-time MLA and two-time Finance Minister, Manpreet Badal, who is the son of Gurdas Badal, the younger brother of Parkash Badal, lost the elections from Bathinda Urban. He first won in 1995 on a SAD ticket from Gidderbaha and retained the seat in 1997, 2002, and 2007. He quit the party in 2010 and floated his own political outfit, People's Party of Punjab. In 2016, Manpreet Badal merged his outfit with the Congress, after having lost from both Gidderbha and Maur seats. He then won the 2017 elections as a Congress candidate from Bathinda. "We whole-heartedly and with total humility accept the mandate given by Punjabis. I am grateful to lakhs of Punjabis who placed their trust in us and to SAD-BSP workers for their selfless toil. We will continue to serve them with humility in the role they have assigned to us," Sukhbir Badal tweeted. AAP's chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann in his first public address after his victory said: "Bade (elderly) Badal Sahib has lost, Sukhbir (Badal) has lost from Jalalabad, Capt (Amarinder Singh) has lost from Patiala, Sidhu and Majithia are also losing, Channi has lost on both the seats." Congress firebrand legislator Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who retained his Gidderbaha constituency in Muktsar district, said he has been saying that all Badals, including Congress's Manpreet Singh Badal, were playing a fixed match. He said he had even asked the electorates to defeat all Badals, including his colleague, from wherever they are contesting. "This is a message for the Badals, all the Badals, a message for Bathinda wala Badal (Manpreet Badal) and Lambi wala Badal (Parkash Singh Badal), they are playing a fixed match. In Bathinda, they are with the Congress and here they are Akalis. Such traitors should be exposed," he had said during campaigning. However, Sukhbir Badal had been categorically saying the Badal family had no connections with Manpreet Badal and the party's interests were supreme to them. Even Manpreet Badal had clarified that he had ended all his family ties with the Badal family 11 years ago. Snapping over two-decade long ties, the Akali Dal pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in September 2020 after sharp differences emerged over the three controversial farm laws. The Congress, which was out of power in Punjab for a decade (2007-17), got 77 seats in the 2017 Assembly elections after drubbing the Akali Dal-BJP combine. At that time, the elder Badal had won the Assembly elections from Lambi by defeating Congress candidate Amarinder Singh by 22,770 votes. SEE ALSO <a class="tout-title-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/sensex-nifty-50-rise-on-bjp-leading-votes-in-up-falling-oil-prices-and-ease-in-russia-ukraine-conflict/articleshow/90124932.cms">BJP leading in UP, falling oil prices, ease in Russia-Ukraine conflict cheer up Indian markets</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/aaps-cm-candidate-bhagwant-mann-wins-with-whopping-margin/articleshow/90124755.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">AAP's CM candidate Bhagwant Mann wins in Punjab election with whopping margin</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/early-trends-bjp-leads-in-up-uttarakhand-manipur-aap-in-punjab-cong-in-goa/articleshow/90116215.cms">Early Trends: BJP leads in UP, Uttarakhand &amp; Manipur; AAP in Punjab; Cong in Goa</a>

All Badals and their kin unseated by AAP's greenhorns in Punjab elections

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s <keyword id="101521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bhagwant-mann" source="Orion">Bhagwant Mann</keyword>, who on Thursday won the Dhuri seat with a margin of 58,206 votes, is set to become Punjab's next chief minister. AAP is heading to a landslide win in the 117-member legislative Assembly by leading at over 90 seats. In his first public address in his home town Sangrur after winning the seat and seeing the meteoric rise of the party, Mann promised to fix unemployment as his first task in office. "No government office in the state will have the photo of the Punjab CM, but will carry a portrait of B.R. Ambedkar." Mann said he will take oath as the Chief Minister in Bhagat Singh's ancestral village Khatkar Kalan and not in Raj Bhawan. "We will ensure that the youth do not have to go abroad... Within a month, you will observe changes," he added. Taking a dig at the opposition leaders, he said, "The elder Badal has lost...Captain (Amarinder Singh) Sahab has also lost. Majithia is also losing. Channi has also lost from both seats." The AAP is leading in 91 of 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly, as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) website at 1.10 p.m. The Congress was leading in 17 seats so far. For the AAP that was banking on 'Hun ek mauka Kejriwal nu (now one chance to Kejriwal)' -- arguably one of the biggest advertisement blitz campaigns -- two-time MP, Mann, took the lead as the chief minister's face. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the AAP had made inroads among Jat Sikhs by emerging as the second largest party with 20 seats, 18 of them in the Malwa region. However, it failed to make a mark in Majha and Doaba regions. Mann held his fort despite Modi wave across the country in 2019 by retaining the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat for the second time in a row. "The fight is not to save some political families but to save Punjab, the farmers, the agriculture, the industry and the youth. Owing to lack of employment and better education infrastructure, our youth is moving abroad," was the common talk of Mann in his folksy style in his elections campaigns. Formerly a popular comedian-actor, Mann, known for his trademark 'basanti' turban, a colour associated with Shaheed Bhagat Singh, has had his fair share of controversies in recent years, especially linked to his drinking habit. In these polls, AAP's vote share is estimated to be close to 42.45 per cent compared to 22.9 per cent of the Congress and 17.9 per cent of the SAD. The meteoric rise of AAP in the 2014 Parliamentary polls and then in the 2017 Assembly elections in Punjab followed by its nosedive owing to 'mass exodus' of its legislators proved a litmus test for the party in the 2022 Assembly polls in the state. Political observers say AAP was seen as the alternative to the traditional parties that had dominated Punjab's electoral space for decades. Learning a harsh lesson from its mistake during the 2017 Assembly polls of not declaring a chief ministerial candidate, this time AAP's CM face Bhagwant Mann was locked in a multi-cornered contest with Congress' 'Aam Aadmi' Charanjit Singh Channi, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal, Capt Amarinder Singh, whose new party Punjab Lok Congress is in alliance with the BJP and the Samyukt Samaj Morcha, the fledgling coalition of farm unions. Channi, Sukhbir Badal and Captain Amarinder Singh faced humiliating defeat from their respective seats. In 2017, AAP sought vote in the name of Arvind Kejriwal, and despite him being tagged an outsider, it managed to win 20 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, emerging as the principal opposition party, pushing SAD to the number three position. SEE ALSO <a class="tout-title-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/hul-future-retail-dr-reddys-bharti-airtel-among-stocks-to-watch-out-for-on-march-10/slidelist/90114443.cms">HUL, Future Retail, Dr Reddy’s, Bharti Airtel among stocks to watch out for on March 10</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/early-trends-bjp-leads-in-up-uttarakhand-manipur-aap-in-punjab-cong-in-goa/articleshow/90116215.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Early Trends: BJP leads in UP, Uttarakhand &amp; Manipur; AAP in Punjab; Cong in Goa</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/uttarakhand-elections-2022-former-cm-harish-rawat-of-congress-leading-in-lal-kuan-seat/articleshow/90116045.cms">Uttarakhand elections 2022: Former CM Harish Rawat of Congress leading in Lal Kuan seat</a>

AAP's CM candidate Bhagwant Mann wins in Punjab election with whopping margin

Protesting against the farm laws and in solidarity with the ongoing farmers' agitation, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament <keyword id="168710" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sukhdev-Singh-Dhindsa">Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa</keyword> on Thursday announced he was returning the <keyword id="100507" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Padma-Bhushan">Padma Bhushan</keyword> conferred on him in 2019. Former union minister Dhindsa, who is the <keyword id="6357030" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="shiromani-akali-dal">Shiromani Akali Dal</keyword> (Democratic) chief, is a splinter group of the SAD led by Sukhbir Singh Badal. He is another leader from Punjab after SAD patron <keyword id="55130" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parkash-Singh-Badal">Parkash Singh Badal</keyword> who returned his Padam Vibhushan to lodge the protest against "the betrayal of the farmers by the government of India". Dhindsa, who was presented the Padma Bhushan by President <keyword id="6354561" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ram-nath-kovind">Ram Nath Kovind</keyword> in March 2019, told the media that he was returning his award in protest against the agricultural laws. "The award is worthless as farmers are ignored". His party comprises SAD rebels who blamed Sukhbir Badal for the 2017 election debacle and his 'dubious' role in the probe of the sacrilege incident and subsequent police firing on peaceful protestors. In July, the rebels arbitrarily removed SAD chief Sukhbir Badal from the party's top post and appointed Dhindsa as the new party chief. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-may-reportedly-block-wikipedia-if-the-site-doesnt-delete-the-map-showing-aksai-chin-as-a-part-of-china/articleshow/79541391.cms">India may reportedly block Wikipedia if the site doesn't delete the map showing Aksai Chin as a part of China</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/geo-tagged-bottles-in-the-ganges-river-show-how-plastic-pollution-can-travel-thousands-of-kilometres-in-just-a-few-months/articleshow/79540173.cms">Geo-tagged bottles in the Ganges river show how plastic pollution can travel thousands of kilometres in just a few months</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/trump-h1-b-visa-restrictions-scrapped-by-us-court-spells-good-news-for-indian-and-american-it-companies-alike/articleshow/79531053.cms">Trump's H-1B visa restrictions scrapped by US court spells good news for Indian and American IT companies alike</a>

After Parkash Singh Badal, MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also returns Padma Bhushan in solidarity with farmers' agitation

Farmers protesting against the Centre's three <keyword id="9970645" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="farm-laws">farm laws</keyword> across <keyword id="6354953" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="punjab">Punjab</keyword> and <keyword id="41646" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Haryana">Haryana</keyword> on Wednesday observed as a '<keyword id="80230" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Black-Day">Black Day</keyword>' to mark six months of the agitation. At most of the places, both in rural and urban areas, farmers staged <keyword id="6354896" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="protests">protests</keyword> against the controversial farm laws. They put up black flags atop their houses and burnt effigies of Central government leaders. In a Bhiwani village in Haryana, farmers burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh have been protesting since November last year on Delhi borders against the agricultural laws. Heavy police presence could be seen at various places in Haryana and Punjab to maintain law and other in view of the protests. There was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the states. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a former ally of the BJP, participated in the protest. "As the Kisan Andolan completes six months today, I again urge the Centre to deal compassionately with farmers and repeal the black laws," said SAD President Sukhbir Badal, who hoisted a black flag atop his residence in his native village Badal in Punjab's Bathinda district. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-moves-the-delhi-high-court-against-indias-new-it-laws-says-report/articleshow/82965251.cms">WhatsApp moves the Delhi High Court against India’s new IT laws, says report</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/cyclone-yaas-will-unleash-its-fury-for-another-12-to-18-hours-after-making-landfall/articleshow/82964922.cms">Cyclone Yaas will unleash its fury for another 12 to 18 hours after making landfall</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-is-giving-away-9000-worth-google-stadia-bundle-for-free-but-its-not-available-in-india/articleshow/82965884.cms">OnePlus is giving away ₹9,000 worth Google Stadia bundle for free – but it’s not available in India</a>

Farmers Protest: Farmers from Haryana and Punjab observe 'Black Day' to mark six months of the agitation

Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. <keyword id="421753" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="yediyurappa">Yediyurappa</keyword> on Friday tested <keyword id="8764262" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid">Covid</keyword> positive and got himself admitted to a hospital. Taking to Twitter, Yediyurappa said that upon having mild fever on Friday he got tested for Covid-19 and his report has come out positive. "Although I am doing fine, I am being hospitalised based on the advise of doctors. I request all those who have come in my contact recently to be observant and exercise self-quarantine," he said in his tweet. On Thursday, Yediyurappa had returned from campaigning mid-way through Belgaum Lok Sabha from Belagavi to Bengaluru after he complained of fever and exhaustion. Yediyurappa had been campaigning hard in the last fortnight for bypolls to three seats - the Belgaum Lok Sabha seat, the Maski Assembly seat in Raichur district and the Basavakalyana Assembly seat in <keyword id="48690" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bidar">Bidar</keyword> district. Despite suffering from fever and exhaustion on Wednesday, Yediyurappa had campaigned for the by-election for Belgaum Lok Sabha Constituency BJP candidate Mangala Angadi by taking medicines. But on Thursday, doctors advised him not to 'strain himself' asked him to rest and recuperate from stress as well as fatigue owing to summer. Akali Dal MP and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday tested Covid-19 positive. Earlier, her husband Sukhbir Badal had contacted the virus. "Dear all, I've tested positive for Covid-19 today with mild symptoms. I have quarantined myself at home and am taking all the necessary precautions," she informed in a tweet. "I would request all those who came in contact with me to isolate and get themselves tested at the earliest." Her husband, who is also a Member of <keyword id="6354721" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword>, had tested positive on March 16. He was discharged from a private hospital in Gurugram on March 24. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/pakistan-shut-down-facebook-twitter-youtube-whatsapp-and-other-social-media-website/articleshow/82100703.cms">Pakistan temporarily shuts down social media amid anti-France protests</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/check-out-covid-19-vaccine-distribution-across-states-in-india-in-four-charts/slidelist/82100394.cms">Four charts show how COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed in India</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/watch-crystal-clear-hd-video-of-nasa-astronauts-walking-in-space/articleshow/82099944.cms">WATCH: Crystal clear footage of NASA astronauts walking in space, changing out pipes, installing cameras and much more</a>

Karnataka CM Yediyurappa and MP from Punjab Harsimrat Kaur Badal test COVID-19 positive

<ul><li>The farmer tried to commit suicide at a protest site in Badal village, the hometown of the Badals, in Muktsar district.</li><li>Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) state secretary Shingara Singh Mann said farmer Pritam Singh, 60, was disturbed over the passing of the agriculture Bills in the <keyword id="6355187" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword>.</li></ul> A day after the Lok Sabha passed two contentious agriculture Bills, despite the opposition by BJP's oldest ally Shiromani Akali Dal terming it as an "anti-farmer" move, a protesting farmer in Punjab on Friday tried to commit suicide by consuming poisonous substance. The farmer tried to commit suicide at a protest site in Badal village, the hometown of the Badals, in Muktsar district. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) state secretary Shingara Singh Mann said farmer Pritam Singh, 60, was disturbed over the passing of the agriculture Bills in the Lok Sabha. The farmer feared that the Bills would be against the <keyword id="45092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers">farmers</keyword>. The condition of the farmer is stated to be serious. The farmers have been staging a protest at the Badal village just outside the residence of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal against the Bills brought by the Central government. Akali Dal's lone minister in the Narendra Modi government, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, resigned from the Union Cabinet on Thursday to protest the Farm bills. While announcing the decision to withdraw the minister from the Union Cabinet, SAD President Sukhbir Badal said the party would continue to support the government and the BJP, but will oppose the anti-farmer policies. He said the three agriculture related Bills in the Lok Sabha would sound the death knell for 20 lakh farmers, three lakh 'mandi' labourers, 30 lakh farm labourers and 30,000 'arhatiyas', besides destroying the food grain procurement system established over a period of 50 years. Earlier, warning that enacting laws on the ordinances issued by the Centre vis-a-vis farmers would lead to unrest in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had led a Congress delegation to Governor V.P. Singh Badnore, seeking his intervention for non-pursuance of the three agriculture-related Bills in Parliament. The Chief Minister submitted a memorandum to the Governor and told him that the Congress felt that any move to "tinker with the present procurement system, and that too in the times of a nationwide crisis, may deepen social unrest among Punjab farmers". SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/president-kovind-accepts-harsimrat-kaur-badals-resignation/articleshow/78179496.cms">President Kovind accepts Harsimrat Kaur Badal's resignation</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/ikeas-push-to-reach-100-million-customers-in-india-will-see-the-swedish-retail-giant-bet-on-online-and-smaller-stores/articleshow/78179851.cms">IKEA’s push to reach 100 million customers in India will see the Swedish retail giant bet on online and smaller stores</a>

Punjab farmer attempts suicide over the three-agricultural bills passed in Lok Sabha

As Covid cases continue to remain high in the state, <keyword id="6354953" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="punjab">Punjab</keyword> Chief Minister <keyword id="6361287" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amarinder-singh">Amarinder Singh</keyword> on Wednesday ordered a total ban on political gatherings till April 30 and said that violators, including <keyword id="6378769" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="political-leaders">political leaders</keyword>, will be booked under the DMA and Epidemics Act. The Chief Minister also announced extension of night curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., which hitherto was imposed in 12 districts, to the entire state and reduced the number of attendees at funerals, cremations and weddings to 50 people indoors and 100 for outdoors. Wearing of masks has been made mandatory for all government employees while in office. These restrictions, coupled with the ones imposed earlier, which include closure of schools and educational institutions, will remain effective till April 30. However, there was some respite for shop owners in malls, as the Chief Minister allowed entry of 10 people per shop at any given time, as against the earlier order of not allowing more than 100 people in a mall at one time. This would imply that 200 people will be allowed in a mall with 20 shops at any given time. Amarinder Singh, in his weekly review of the Covid situation, expressed concern at the high positivity and mortality rates in the state. He said it was a matter of concern that over 85 per cent of cases in Punjab are of the UK strain, which is more contagious and virulent. He said he had no option but to go in for stricter measures to further control the ongoing surge, even though the number of positive cases had somewhat stabilized in the last few days due to curbs imposed earlier. He said he had been forced to order a ban on political gatherings, as his pleas to all political parties to refrain from organising such events had been ignored, despite the fact that the <keyword id="1571" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress-party">Congress party</keyword> had unilaterally announced its decision of not holding any rallies or public meetings last month. Expressing surprise at the behaviour of certain political leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and SAD's Sukhbir Badal, who had been attending political rallies without following safety protocols, the Chief Minister said such irresponsible conduct doesn't behove them. "How do you expect people to be serious about the spread of the disease if senior political leaders behave like this," he said, adding that his government would need to be tough to tackle such violations and political leaders would also need to be booked. He ordered the police and the districts administrations to register cases against the political leaders, organizers and participants of political gatherings under the DMA and Epidemics Act, besides booking the owners of the tent houses, who provide the infrastructure for such gatherings. He said even the venue owners, who would provide space for such events, will not be spared and they too would be booked and their venues sealed for three months. He further said that no social, cultural or sports gatherings and related functions will be allowed till April 30. In-person public dealing will be restricted in all government offices and online and virtual modes for grievance redressal will be encouraged, he said, while adding that all government employees will need to compulsorily wear a mask while attending office. Amarinder Singh said citizens should be encouraged to visit public offices only for essential services and the departments concerned should issue instructions for limiting daily appointments for works like registries, etc. He said restrictions on running cinema houses at 50 per cent of their capacity and closure of schools and educational institutions, except medical and nursing colleges will continue till April 30. The Chief Minister also directed <keyword id="92314" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Punjab-DGP">Punjab DGP</keyword>, Dinkar Gupta, to ensure strict implementation of the night curfew. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/rbi-has-increased-mobile-wallets-limit-with-2-lakh-and-need-full-kyc-also-for-mobile-wallets/articleshow/81946037.cms">You need to do full KYC for mobile wallets too – but you can store twice the amount of money</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/how-to-check-if-your-phone-number-was-leaked-in-facebook-data-breach/articleshow/81946319.cms">How to check if your phone number was leaked in Facebook data breach of 533 million users</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rbi-forecast-shows-that-narendra-modi-administration-is-facing-its-worst-inflation-period-so-far/articleshow/81946820.cms">RBI forecast shows that Narendra Modi administration is facing its worst inflation period so far</a>

Punjab CM bans political gatherings till April 30, violators including political leaders to be booked under DMA and Epidemics Act

Chandigarh, Apr 23 () Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Thursday asserted that except a meagre sum of Rs 71 crore, the BJP-led government has not given the state a single penny to fight COVID-19 pandemic.Badal made the assertion, seeking to debunk sought Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's claims of funds given by the Centre to Punjab.Badal, an estranged cousin of Shiromani Akali Dal Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, asked Harsimrat Kaur not to "play petty politics" over the COVID-19 crisis and dared her to get Punjab's GST arrears worth Rs 4,400 crore released from the Centre.Badal attacked Kaur after she earlier claimed that the government of India had given funds and foodgrain to the Punjab government to combat COVID-19 and asked Chief Minister Amarinder Singh why no relief was being given to the needy people."A sum of Rs 71 crore has been given to Punjab under the National Health Mission to fight coronavirus. It comes even less than Rs three crore per district. Besides that, we have not got a single penny from the government of India in the fight against COVID-19," Badal said in a video message posted on his Facebook."If they are trying to show doing favour with a sum of Rs 71 crore, it is s petty politics and narrow mindset," said Badal, targeting the Union minister who is the wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Badal.He said a sum of Rs 832 crore given by the Centre, as had been claimed by Harsimrat Kaur, was Punjab's right.Badal said this sum was Punjab's share in devolution of central taxes. Taking on Harsimrat for her claims of giving Rs 2,300 crore to Punjab, Manpreet Badal said it was the state's arrears pending for the last three years.Taking a swipe at Harsimrat, the state finance minister told the Union Food Processing Minister Kaur, "If anybody listens to you in the central Cabinet, then you should get Rs 4,400 crore GST compensation arrears released." Punjab has been demanding the release of the Goods and Services Tax arrears amounting to Rs 4,400 crore from the Centre. A few days ago, Union Minister Harsimrat Badal in her tweet had said, "As far as funds received by Punjab after March 20 when #Coronavirus broke out, please note the state received Rs 3,445 cr including Rs 2,366 cr on account of GST compensation &amp; arrears, Rs 638 cr as RDG, Rs 247 cr for Disaster Mgt, Rs 72 cr for MNREGA &amp; Rs 72 cr under NHM". CHS VSD RAXRAX

Punjab got a meagre Rs 71 cr from Centre to fight COVID-19: Badal

<ul><li>Over two dozen farmer organisations have announced support for the 'Bandh call' on Friday to protest against the Farm Bills</li><li>The Congress, which is protesting against the Farm Bills passed by the Parliament, has chalked out a detailed programme of agitation. </li><li>The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), an ally of the BJP-led NDA government, announced a statewide 'chakka jam' to mark their protest.</li></ul>The three farmer' bill and labour reform bill will not be implemented in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Panwar on September 25 said This comes as hundreds of farmers across the country began their <keyword id="187037" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nationwide-strike">nationwide strike</keyword> against the Modi government’s three farm bills passed during <keyword id="2901275" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-monsoon-session">the Monsoon session</keyword>. Over two dozen farmer organisations have announced support for the 'Bandh call' on Friday to protest against the Farm Bills passed by Parliament amid protests by 18 political parties. The 31 farmer organisations in Punjab and Haryana are already protesting. Delhi Police are on high alert and have made preparations to seal the border with Haryana. The Congress, which is also protesting against the Farm Bills passed by the Parliament, has chalked out a detailed programme of agitation, which will begin on September 26 with an online "Speak up for Farmers" campaign. The Congress has decided to take out marches in every state, after which memorandums will be submitted to the respective governors on September 28 against these farm bills. Punjab and Haryana at the centre of farmer’s protest As many as 31 farmer organisations have joined hands for the 'Punjab Bandh'. Several organisations in Haryana, including the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said they had extended support to the nationwide strike called by some farmers' bodies against the bills. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana will go on a strike today in protest against the contentious farm bills that were passed in the Parliament. Heavy police force has been deployed in both states to deal with any untoward situation. Even shopkeepers in most of the major towns in both the states shut their shops, expressing solidarity with the farmers. In Punjab, several trains have been suspended since September 24 as farmers began a three-day 'rail roko' campaign against the Bills. On September 24, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he is ready to lead the political fight against the three anti-farmer bills passed in Parliament. The chief minister urged all political parties to rise above petty considerations and come on one platform to unitedly fight against the bills, which he said will destroy farmers. His remarks come a day ahead of the Punjab bandh announced by several farmer groups against the bills. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), an ally of the BJP-led NDA government, announced a statewide 'chakka jam' to mark their protest. The SAD has been a longstanding ally of the ruling BJP. SAD's Lok Sabha MP and Sukhbir Badal's wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, had resigned from the Union Cabinet on September 17, citing her party's opposition to the three Bills. In Tamil Nadu, members of some farmer organisations protested in Trichy and Tambaram on Friday morning. Led by Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association President P Ayyakannu, half-clad farmers held their protest outside the Collectorate in Trichy while carrying human skulls in their hands. They demanded that the Bills should not be made into law. Whereas, in Karnataka, members of the Karnataka State Farmers' Association on Friday held protests at various places against the three farm Bills passed in Parliament, which however has elicited a lukewarm response so far. Although the farmers begun a blockade since morning to register their protests at highways entry points in Bengaluru, it received a lukewarm response as vehicular movement in CBD areas was not affected much. Parliament has passed three farm reform bills -- the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill -- in the Monsoon Session. (with inputs from IANS) <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/accentures-q4-earnings-miss-estimate-with-low-growth-likely-to-continue-for-two-more-quarters/articleshow/78307937.cms">Accenture's Q4 earnings miss estimate with low growth likely to continue for two more quarters</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/bihar-election-2020-ec-to-announce-bihar-assembly-poll-dates-today/articleshow/78308174.cms">Bihar Election 2020: EC to announce Bihar assembly poll dates today</a>

Farm bills won't be implemented in Maharashtra, says Ajit Pawar

When Indian censor board chief <keyword id="15361" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pahlaj-Nihalani">Pahlaj Nihalani</keyword> accused Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap of taking money from the Aam Aadmi Party (<keyword id="6356115" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="AAP">AAP</keyword>) for making <keyword id="6356850" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Udta-Punjab">Udta Punjab</keyword> to show the State in bad light, he must have not realised it would boomerang. 
 
The whole controversy surrounding Bollywood movie Udta Punjab, starring Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh, has knowingly or unknowingly worked in the favour of the AAP. 
 
Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said, “It is a joke that Nihalani thinks AAP will give Anurag Kashyap money to make a film just to show BJP-SAD in a bad light. One need not go that far. It is all out in the open anyway. Drug abuse in Punjab is a harsh reality, and we are not supporting Kashyap here so much as we are backing the issue.” 
 
The accusations made by the censor board chief, which were rubbished by Anurag Kashyap, has given political plank to AAP for Punjab assembly elections in 2017-Drug menace. 
 
It is likely that AAP will give voice to the undertones of Punjab, who want to get rid of the menace, which has consumed many lives, taking away sole breadwinners from the families. 
 
AAP had surprised everyone in 2014 Lok Sabha polls by winning four seats in the lower house, and they were from Punjab. 
 
Since then, AAP has been making all efforts to cement its position in Punjab and derail SAD-BJP alliance. 
 
However, this is not the first time the AAP attacked the state government. In previous instances too, AAP leaders have openly accused Punjab Cabinet Ministers of being ‘drug lords’. 
 
“In the past, Sukhbir Badal has denied any drug menace in Punjab and his Cabinet Minister Surjit Jiyani has ruled out even a single drug-addict in the state, but on the other hand, Chief Minister Parkash Badal announced the opening of the country’s first Women Rehab Centre for de-addiction in the state,” AAP MP Bhagwant Mann had said. 
 
He also alleged that Punjab Cabinet Minister Bikramjit Majithia was a drug lord. 
 
Then, Majithia had filed a defamation case against the AAP leaders, including chief Arvind Kejriwal. 
 
In response to the defamation case, Bhagwant Mann said, “Badals should visit Maqbool Pura of Amritsar and Sur Singh village of Tarn Taran to assess how drugs ruined several families.” 
 
He has spoken the truth. 
 
The situation in Maqboolpura is very grim, as the village is now known as the ‘village of widows’. Families residing in the village say there is hardly any male member who is not affected by the drug menace and most of them have died. 
 
A study by Social Security Development of Women and Children department stated that 67 percent households in Punjab have at least one person addicted to drugs. The Narcotics Bureau stated that nearly 40 percent men in Punjab are hooked to drugs. 
 
Well, Kejriwal could gain ground in Punjab, dismantling the Punjab government. Only time will tell.

Pahlaj Nihalani has ‘officially’ sounded the Punjab Assembly 2017 elections’ bugle

NEW DELHI: Big reputations are at stake in Wednesday's polling with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, BJP's top leaders Narendra Modi, L K Advani, Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley apart from former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao seeking a popular mandate. 
 
Some riveting contests like the Jaitley versus Amarinder duel in Amritsar or the Badal versus Badal showdown in Bathinda are set to be decided as 89 seats in seven states and two Union Territories go to polls. 
 
BJP veteran M M Joshi, who moved to Kanpur to make way for Modi in Varanasi, takes on coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal in a contest where the local pitch could get swamped by a pro-Modi sentiment. 
 
Jhansi is the stage for sanyasin Uma Bharati's comeback bid as she looks to unseat Congress's Pradeep Jain, banking on the "Modi Kashi se, Uma Bharati Jhansi se" slogan. 
 
The 14 seats in UP's central and Bundelkhand areas that go to polls delivered good returns for Congress in 2009 but its incumbents, including two ministers — Jaiswal and Jitin Prasada — are finding the going tough. Sonia is not expected to face much of a challenge in Rae Bareli — the other Gandhi borough of Amethi goes to polls on May 7 — even if her party does not find it easy to repeat the 2009 result where the party did well in 14 seats going to polls. 
 
Bahujan Samaj Party comes across as a strong presence in the region where the Samajwadi Party seems to be taking a back seat after having been the main challenger to BJP in the previous three rounds in UP. 
 
Though Modi's win from Vadodara against Congress's Madhusudhan Mistry is not in doubt, the BJP leader will look to maximize returns in the 26 seats at stake in Gujarat with Congress still a force in tribal areas. In fact, BJP has not found it easy to replicate its dominance in assembly polls in Lok Sabha elections and will hope that Modi's projection gives it a decisive edge this time around. 
 
After having precipitated a minor crisis over his demand to shift from Gandhinagar to Bhopal, Advani should be coasting with the onus squarely on Modi to ensure that the veteran wins convincingly. 
 
Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal, who replaced Modi baiter Harin Pathak in Ahmedabad (East), looks a shoo-in too while some Congress leaders like Shankarsihn Vaghela will fancy his chances in Sabarkantha. 
 
BJP chief Rajnath Singh, contesting from Lucknow, has left nothing to chance, going out his way to woo Muslim voters to cement his position despite the community being far from enthused by Modi's candidature. 
 
 
 
Down south, TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is contesting both the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies in Medak in Telangana as he hopes to emerge as the dominant political force in what will be India's 29th state. KCR is locked in a bitter battle with Congress after he evaded a merger with the party, a manoeuver intended to ensure that TRS's post-poll options are not restricted. 
 
Bathinda is the stage for a grudge match between the rebel Badal, Manpreet Singh, and Harsimrat Kaur, wife of Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal. Manpreet, a former Akali finance minister, was routed in the assembly elections and is looking to settle scores with estranged cousin Sukhbir by scripting an upset in a hard fought and vituperative contest. 
 
Amritsar is set to witness a needle fight as Jaitley hopes to overcome incumbency against the Akali-BJP government by focusing on national issues while Amarinder harps on local resentments to score against his rival. 
 
Amarinder's wife Preneet is in the fray from the family bastion of Patiala while other notable contests in Punjab include former actor Vinod Khanna contesting on a BJP ticket from Gurdaspur against Congress state chief Partap Singh Bajwa.

You Searched For "Sukhbir Badal" and got 12 results

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All Badals and their kin unseated by AAP's greenhorns in Punjab elections

IANS

AAP's CM candidate Bhagwant Mann wins in Punjab election with whopping margin

IANS

After Parkash Singh Badal, MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also returns Padma Bhushan in solidarity with farmers' agitation

IANS

Farmers Protest: Farmers from Haryana and Punjab observe 'Black Day' to mark six months of the agitation

IANS

Karnataka CM Yediyurappa and MP from Punjab Harsimrat Kaur Badal test COVID-19 positive

IANS

Punjab farmer attempts suicide over the three-agricultural bills passed in Lok Sabha

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Punjab CM bans political gatherings till April 30, violators including political leaders to be booked under DMA and Epidemics Act

IANS

Punjab got a meagre Rs 71 cr from Centre to fight COVID-19: Badal

PTI

Farm bills won't be implemented in Maharashtra, says Ajit Pawar

BI India Bureau

Pahlaj Nihalani has ‘officially’ sounded the Punjab Assembly 2017 elections’ bugle

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Times Of India

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