Former CM Badal says never passed orders for firing

Former Punjab Chief Minster Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday accused Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh of lowering the dignity of the office he happens to hold alleging use of “foul and cheap language” on the floor of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

In a statement issued here, Badal said that it was ironical that those who posed as champions of Sikh religion in the Vidhan Sabha did not even wait 72 hours before garlanding and honouring statues of the killers of Sikhs. They were even heard giving clean chits to the author of Operation Blue star and addressing her as Indiraji.”      

Referring to the use of expressions such as “Badmash, Buzdil, liar and unreliable”, Badal said that every sensitive and civilized Punjabi has been deeply hurt to see their Chief Minister stooping to such lowly depth.

“But I expected nothing better than this from a leader whose mind is debased and who is not only a rank opportunist but is also devoid of moral character and given to pursuits of unethical leisure and pleasure,” Badal said.

Hitting back at the Chief Minister, Badal asked, “If according to you a person who has spent long years languishing in the country's worst and the darkest prison cells fighting for the cause of the nation, the state and of the Khalsa Panth is a coward, then what to would you call someone who has never fought for any cause nor been a in prison for even a moment nor made any other sacrifice for any principle he believes, if he does believe in any? “asked Badal.

Badal said that Captain Singh represents a party which is responsible for the worst and the most painful sacrilege against Guru Granth Sahib committed when Indira Gandhi rolled tanks and mortars to destroy Shri Akal Takhat Sahib and shatter the sacred bosom of Shri Harmandar Sahib. “Countless 'saroops' of holy Shri Guru Granth Sahib were desecrated by the forces then.”

The former chief minister also warned Capt Amarinder against playing with fire and pushing Punjab back into the jaws of violence and bloodshed. “The flames that turned the urban and country landscape of Punjab almost to ashes are still raging. And you are preparing to unleash new flames . Have mercy on the innocent and peaceful men , women, youth and children of Punjab and roll back your forces of hatred,” Badal said in the statement.

The former CM claimed that in all his years in service of Punjab as the Chief Minster, he devoted all his time and energy to ensure peace and communal harmony and understanding among various sects in the state. “My mind and my conscience are absolutely clean in this regard. I am not scared of the threats being thrown by a hollow braggart who wastes his life in the pursuit of unethical pleasures. I have discharged with utmost honesty, transparency , dedication and commitment whatever sacred duty had been assigned to me by the people of Punjab,” said Badal, adding that he will continue to serve the Punjabis till his last breath.

Commenting on the painful incidents of sacrilege and the consequent police action in October 2015, Badal said, “It was a period of unbearable pain and stress on my mind. I remained in live contact with the district administration officials and the DGP till well past midnight. There was never a minute when I was able to go to sleep peacefully as the situation was extremely delicate and critical”.

Badal claimed that there were clear and firm instructions from him that the entire issue should be resolved through discussion and dialogue. “At no stage was the issue of police firing even considered and nor were any orders passed by me in this regard,” he said, adding that  his government had handed over the entire case to the CBI at the best of some organisation that were opposing us.

We wanted a totally credible and transparent solution. It was in the pursuit of this that we set up Zora Singh Commission and formed an SIT. The same SIT has been fintioning with the same officers under the present government too.

SAD HOLDS MASS PROTEST AGAINST CONGRESS

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday held mass protests in all 117 assembly constituencies in Punjab in protest against what it called “Congress government's deep rooted conspiracy to weaken Sikh institutions as well as the Sikh panth in league with radical elements as well as AAP leaders to vitiate the peace and communal harmony in this border State”.

In each constituency, SAD workers along with senior leaders took to the streets, raising slogans against the government. Effigies of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar as well as radical leaders like Baljit Singh Daduwal were burnt on the occasion.

The senior leaders who led these protest at different constituencies include Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Sikandar Singh Maluka, Jathedar Tota Singh, Daljit Singh Cheema, Prem Singh Chandumajra and Hira Singh Gabria. At all protest sites SAD workers condemned Punjab Congress president Jakhar for threatening them that they would not be allowed to enter villages. They warned the Congress party that they stood for maintaining peace and communal harmony and that it should desist from instigating violence in the State.

At the protesting sites, the SAD leaders accused that the Congress government in league with radical groups was hatching a conspiracy to defame the SAD in order to take control over the Sikh religious institutions including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). They said Capt Amrinder Singh led Congress government was trying to implement its age old anti-Sikh agenda of dividing the Sikhs for its petty political goals as it did in 1980s to take control over the Sikh religious institutions as well as push the State back in to the dark era of terrorism.