Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday accused the BJP of trying to fan communal tensions in Punjab. Launching a scathing attack against its former ally, Badal said BJP has “smashed national unity to pieces”. “BJP is the real ‘Tukde-Tukde gang’ in the country. It has smashed national unity to pieces, shamelessly inciting Hindus against Muslims, and now desperate setting peace loving Punjabi Hindus against their Sikh brethren, especially farmers. They are pushing patriotic Punjab into communal flames,” he said in a tweet on Tuesday.
In a series of tweets, Badal had attacked the BJP-led NDA government and accused it of “violating the principle of federalism”.
“(The NDA) government has usurped the states’ powers to institute agriculture laws and is working against states’ interests by centralising all power. When Akali Dal called for a federal structure, we were branded separatists. Today, all states favour federal structure,” he said.
Badal said the situation today is such thatSukhbir Badal Calls BJP Real ‘Tukde-Tukde Gang’, Says Govt Trying To Set Punjabi Hindus Against Sikhs if one agrees with the NDA government, he is a “desh bhakt” (patriot), “but if not, he is a ‘desh drohi’ (traitor) or an extremist or from ‘tukde-tukde’ gang.”
“Is Parkash Singh Badal who returned his Padma Vibhushan or Harsimrat Kaur Badal who resigned from Union ministry in protest against the farm laws desh drohis?” Badal asked.
Speaking about the ongoing farmers’ protest, he said the “most condemnable” aspect of all is that the farmers’ agitation is “being projected as Sikh vs Hindu conflict”.
“This started in Delhi and now the same forces want to replicate it in Punjab. SAD is very clear – Punjab will prosper only with peace and communal harmony,” he said.