by Sarabjit Pandher from Bathinda
PARTY: Shiromani Akali Dal
CONSTITUENCY: Bathinda
STATE: Punjab
CONSTITUENCY: Bathinda
STATE: Punjab
MISSION STATEMENT
Roll back female foeticide and halt denudation of Punjab’s green cover
Born into Amritsar’s Majithia family, and trained as a textile designer, Harsimrat Kaur is married
into one of the most powerful political families of Punjab, the Badals of Muktsar.
Daughter-in-law of Sardar Parkash Singh Badal, who has been Punjab’s Chief Minister four times, she is the Shiromani Akali Dal’s candidate from Bathinda, where she faces the Congress’s Raninder Singh, son of the former Chief Minister , Amarinder Singh and a scion of the Patiala royal family.
Both Bathinda and Harsimrat Kaur have been in news for different reasons. Bathinda and Mansa districts, which are part of this constituency, were among the 10 districts of the country to report the worst sex ratios. Apart from being Punjab’s cotton belt, the region has a high incidence of diseases .
Ms. Harsimrat Kaur has launched a programme “Nanhi Chhan” (the elfin shade), to project her struggle against female foeticide and denudation of Punjab’s green cover.
“Nanhi Chhan is my politics,” asserts Harsimrat as in her public meetings where she makes her voters realise that a tree and a mother are the embodiments of nurturing. However in Punjab, the number of girl children aged 0-6 has dwindled fast as has forest cover, from 33 per cent to a pathetic six per cent. She accepts that her programme is a struggle to liberate Punjab from the vicious grip of the feudal patriarchy, which has also led to various socio-economic problems.
In January, when her husband, Sukhbir Singh Badal, was sworn in as Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister, she saw the opportunity to use political power to spread her programme.
Though she was initially quite reluctant to plunge into active politics, Ms. Harsimrat Kaur hopes that she will be able to take her programme to the next level if she gains entry into Parliament. She is optimistic that being an MP will help her get support to change a mindset that is heavily biased against the girl child.
So far, she has involved a pharmaceutical major, religious leaders, the SGPC, social activists and the forest department in the distribution of the “Buta Prasad” (saplings).
Her target is to distribute about 12 lakh saplings of neem, ber, mango, guava and other fruit trees as well as medicinal plants. The programme, which was launched from the Golden Temple last year, has attracted appreciation even from her political opponents. Her electoral rival, Mr. Raninder Singh, says he would like to promote the project.
As she appeals for votes, Ms. Harsimrat Kaur seeks to draw the attention of women to a rare opportunity to enjoy the fruits of “shakti” (political power).
“If you elect me, you get a Chief Minister, a deputy Chief Minister and a Finance Minister as free,” she says.
Born into Amritsar’s Majithia family, and trained as a textile designer, Harsimrat Kaur is married
into one of the most powerful political families of Punjab, the Badals of Muktsar.Daughter-in-law of Sardar Parkash Singh Badal, who has been Punjab’s Chief Minister four times, she is the Shiromani Akali Dal’s candidate from Bathinda, where she faces the Congress’s Raninder Singh, son of the former Chief Minister , Amarinder Singh and a scion of the Patiala royal family.
Both Bathinda and Harsimrat Kaur have been in news for different reasons. Bathinda and Mansa districts, which are part of this constituency, were among the 10 districts of the country to report the worst sex ratios. Apart from being Punjab’s cotton belt, the region has a high incidence of diseases .
Ms. Harsimrat Kaur has launched a programme “Nanhi Chhan” (the elfin shade), to project her struggle against female foeticide and denudation of Punjab’s green cover.
“Nanhi Chhan is my politics,” asserts Harsimrat as in her public meetings where she makes her voters realise that a tree and a mother are the embodiments of nurturing. However in Punjab, the number of girl children aged 0-6 has dwindled fast as has forest cover, from 33 per cent to a pathetic six per cent. She accepts that her programme is a struggle to liberate Punjab from the vicious grip of the feudal patriarchy, which has also led to various socio-economic problems.
In January, when her husband, Sukhbir Singh Badal, was sworn in as Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister, she saw the opportunity to use political power to spread her programme.
Though she was initially quite reluctant to plunge into active politics, Ms. Harsimrat Kaur hopes that she will be able to take her programme to the next level if she gains entry into Parliament. She is optimistic that being an MP will help her get support to change a mindset that is heavily biased against the girl child.
So far, she has involved a pharmaceutical major, religious leaders, the SGPC, social activists and the forest department in the distribution of the “Buta Prasad” (saplings).
Her target is to distribute about 12 lakh saplings of neem, ber, mango, guava and other fruit trees as well as medicinal plants. The programme, which was launched from the Golden Temple last year, has attracted appreciation even from her political opponents. Her electoral rival, Mr. Raninder Singh, says he would like to promote the project.
As she appeals for votes, Ms. Harsimrat Kaur seeks to draw the attention of women to a rare opportunity to enjoy the fruits of “shakti” (political power).
“If you elect me, you get a Chief Minister, a deputy Chief Minister and a Finance Minister as free,” she says.
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