SAD invokes Balakot, Sajjan Kumar’s conviction

PATIALA: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) invoked Balakot air strikes in Pakistan and the conviction of Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case to seek votes at an election gathering here on Sunday.

Anandpur Sahib seat candidate Prem Singh Chandumajra, in his speech, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “surgical strike” and said only he was capable of the military action. Criticising the opposition, he said some people were saying that only trees were damaged in the air strikes. “Assi kilometre andar ja kay hamla keeta. Asi bande maarte, eh kehnde ne ke sirf drakht hi patte ae,” he said. Officially, the minister of defence has not put a figure on casualties in Balakot.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal urged the gathering to vote for the SAD-BJP alliance and re-elect Modi as PM. He said Sajjan was convicted in connection with a case of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots only under Modi’s rule.