This is another story about the legendary chief minister of Punjab, Partap Singh Kairon. In those days, the annual Matarani Da Mela, that used to be  held at Kurali in the erstwhile Distt. Ambala,was famous for the challenge fights of Jats. The Jats from one village used to throw a challenge, to those of others, for a fight with dangs (canes). The winners would remain champions for a year, and in the next Mela, they were again challenged for the title fight. Needless to say, the fight presented a gory spectacle with profuse flow of blood. Meanwhile, the government  planned to set up a sugar cane mill at Morinda, just a few miles away from Kurali. Inaugurating the mill, Kairon exhorted the farmers to take up sugarcane farming in his characteristic style—Jatto danga chadd do, ganne chuk lao. Tuhade Put Potte Kairon De Ditte Tohafe Nu Yaad Kariya Karnege. ‘O you farmers, leave the cane and adopt the sugar cane. Your children will value this gift (the mill) from Kairon.’The mill, indeed, played an indispensable role in bringing prosperity to Kharar-Kurali-Ropar-Samrala belt of the region. But, alas, due to corruption and mismanagement, the same mill is in deep financial crisis now and up for sale. Perhaps, the government seems to say the other way round now-Jatto ganne chad do, danga chuk lo.

Sardar Partap Singh Kairon, chief minister of Punjab, was not only a successful administrator, but also a master of wit and repartee. In 1964, he had to submit his resignation, in wake of his indictment by the Das Commission, on charges of financial irregularities. Right after the press conference, in which he announced his resignation, a man stood up and bowed to the wily politician. Kairon, tired from the grilling by pressmen fumed, “There now, who are you?” “I am your Das (servant)”, the man replied obsequiously. Kairon retorted, “One Das has  scr**** me up, and what does the second one want”.