Adding a twist to the ongoing controversy over the sacrilege incidents in Punjab, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday said that it was a “conspiracy” to defame the Sikh community.
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal has all along been saying that the incidents of desecration of Sikh holy scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, were part of a larger conspiracy by “anti-Punjab elements” to hamper development in the State. But this is perhaps the first time that the Chief Minister has asserted that the attacks were aimed at giving a “bad name” to the “valiant” Sikh community.
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi pattern, Badal too used the state-owned media the Doordarshan and All India Radio to air his views and address the masses.
In his address, he appealed all the Punjabis for seeking their whole hearted cooperation to maintain peace, amity, communal harmony and brotherhood besides further propelling the State on the path of growth, development and prosperity.
Badal said that it had ever been his sacred duty to preserve peace and communal harmony in the state as he firmly believed that the process of development, progress and prosperity was not at all feasible without it, to ensure overall welfare and growth of Punjabis.
The Chief Minister said that he always opposed to any sort of conflict or confrontation from the core of his heart. “We have always followed the policy to cooperate and respect everyone and would follow the same in future too,” he said.
Badal said that unwarranted confrontation was never had been a part of his nature saying, “Punjab belongs to all of us and we all belong to Punjab.”
Chief Minister said that to usher in a congenial atmosphere of peace, amity, love, unity and communal harmony was their priority, aspiration and policy as preached by the Great Gurus, Saints, Seers and Prophets on this sacred land.
Badal reminded that all Punjabis had faced a traumatic period for long time when our traditional atmosphere of harmony and brotherhood was exploited to the hilt. “Several conspiracies were hatched in those times to divide the people living like brothers from centuries on sectarian lines,” he said.
Badal pointed out that, however, some anti-Punjab elements could not digest all this and they were hell bent upon to de-track the ongoing process of development and growth in Punjab.
Chief Minister revealed that the second major aspect of this conspiracy was to “give bad name to the valiant Sikh community”, known as Country’s ‘Sword Arm’, by showing disrespect to their great history, legacy, traditions and code of conduct (maryada).
Making a firm resolve to maintain peace and communal harmony in the state, Badal assured the people that he being the Chief Minister of Punjab would never allow anyone to take law into their hands.