Amritsar, Aug 28 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal on Friday appealed to Punjabis to shun the anti-Punjab and anti-Panth stooges of agencies who were working with the sole purpose of weakening the party and taking the state back to the dark era of the 1980s.
Addressing a rally at Baba Bakala in Amritsar to mark Rakhar Punya, the SAD chief said, “These people have no respect for our religion. They shamelessly use our religious garb to attack us inside our Gurughar (gurdwara). If they come to power, they will attack us in our homes. They want the dark era of the 1980s to return when people feared venturing out of their homes, and the honour of our women folk was violated.”
Asserting that the forces who were calling themselves Waris Punjab De were imposters, Badal said their leader tried to copy Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale but did not utter a single word of condemnation when a video showing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann “urinating on a photo of Sant Bhindranwale was released in the public realm. Can anyone ask him why?”
Urging people to recognise and shun such elements, Badal said jailed Member of Parliament Amritpal Singh and his supporters had first run away from the police and then used the Guru Granth Sahib as a shield while leading a protest in front of a police station.
The Akali leader also pointed out how Amritpal’s family had been active Congressmen for more than 36 years and had never condemned the Congress attack on Sri Darbar Sahib or the genocide of Sikhs.
He also ridiculed the claims of sacrifices being made by Waris Punjab De, asserting the party had organised a ‘morcha’ to free Amritpal instead of agitating for the freedom of the Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners).
“It is SAD alone which is continuously striving to ensure the freedom of Bandi Singhs. The Bandi Singh families also place their trust in us,” he said while stressing how former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had refused to obey the apex court’s directive to hang Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana.
Launching an attack on CM Mann, the SAD president said, “It is shocking that the CM’s wife has solicited Rs 5 crore from a rapist! Elaborating a list of corruption charges against the Mann family, Badal said there was evidence that Bhagwant Mann had purchased 2,500 acres of land in Australia and earned crores in kickbacks by passing change of land use (CLUs) besides taking money for postings and transfers.
“I assure you that he will be held accountable for these corrupt activities,” Badal said while asserting that AAP leaders who were taking monthlies from the drug mafia would also be held to account once the SAD formed the government in 2027.
–IANS
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