In Gurdaspur, Punjab CM Channi promises more cemeteries, 'Bible Chair'

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, December 16

CM Charanjit Singh Channi today addressed several long-pending demands of the Christian community even as observers termed the CM’s choice of the venue as “politically correct” with Gurdaspur having the maximum number of Christian voters among all 23 districts of Punjab.

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Moga: PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday said the government would abolish the contract system of labour in grain markets and state procurement agencies to pave the way for paying their remuneration directly in bank accounts.

Officials peg the total number of Christian voters at 25 per cent. Community leaders had for long been demanding an increase in the number of burial grounds. The CM said he had instructed officials in all districts to scout for vacant government land where more cemeteries could be established.

He also announced the setting up a ‘Bible Chair’ at Guru Nanak Dev University where students could have a meaningful understanding of the Christian faith, its history and practices.

Christian community centres will also be constructed in all districts. Since Independence, Christians in the state had been voting en bloc for the Congress. However, post 2017, with the emergence of AAP, a substantial shift of voters to the party was noticed.

“This time, all 117 seats will see a four-cornered battle. In such a scenario, the winning margins will be narrow. Even a slight swing of Christian votes to the Congress can turn out to be the deciding factor,” said a senior Congress leader. Earlier, moments after his chopper landed near the grain market, Channi surprised everyone by insisting on paying a visit to the Civil Hospital to check if any expired medicines were being sold.

Meanwhile, in Ludhiana, CM Channi said the government would soon complete the process of regularising services of ‘safai sewaks’ in the state.