Symbol or symptom? No stop to VIP culture as Manpreet Badal’s wife launches traffic drive in Bathinda

The police department in its invitation to the media had made a special mention that the press conference about the event will be addressed by Veenu Badal.

Veenu Badal, wife of Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, on Friday presided over a programme to launch the “Traffic Safety Campaign” of the district police.

Veenu Badal, wife of local MLA and finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, helping a woman wear a helmet at the launch of a traffic safety programme by the police in Bathinda on Friday.(Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

Veenu launched the programme in the presence of Bathinda deputy commissioner (DC) Diprava Lakra and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Navin Singla.

Under the drive, the district police in association with an adviser will make the people aware about traffic safety norms by adopting different methods.

Interestingly, the police department in its invitation to the media had made a special mention that the press conference about the event will be addressed by Veenu Badal. The media was initially informed that Veenu along with the SP (traffic) will address the conference, but later it was conveyed that the SSP will address the conference along with her.

SSP Singla said that under the programme they will educate people about the importance of wearing helmet, seat belt, driving at slow speed and other aspects of safe driving. Special stickers highlighting the road safety have also been prepared to be affixed on vehicles.

Nothing political in it, says Veenu Badal

Talking to the media, Veenu said she being a mother feels concerned about traffic safety and was invited by the police department to join the programme and there is nothing political in it.

Asked about chances of her contesting the next parliamentary polls from Bathinda constituency, she said, “It will be premature to talk about this as still there is over one year left in the parliamentary polls. There has been no discussion about it even in my family.”

Regarding her growing activities in the city, Veenu said she had suffered an injury a few days before the Punjab assembly polls so she couldn’t visit the city to say thanks to people, especially women. “I consider it as my duty to go to them and thank them for their support (to Manpreet Badal) during the polls.”

Meanwhile, police officials tried to play it down, saying the programme was for a social cause.