A day after Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal dubbed the protestors against SAD abroad as “anti-Punjab and anti-national”, the State Congress on Tuesday lashed out at the Badal junior.
While former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh asked Deputy Chief Minister not to damn his critics as “anti-national”, the State Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa said Sukhbir had no right to question the credentials of the Punjabi NRIs.
Hundreds of Sikhs recently protested visit of Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Tota Singh and his delegation to the US, who also allegedly threw stones and hurled a shoe at them in New York.
Sukhbir, however, had on Monday asserted that SAD delegation have received historic response from Punjabi Diaspora in the US and Canada and a very few people opposing the delegation are basically “anti-national” and “anti-Punjab”.
Capt Amarinder criticised Sukhbir for terming people, who protested against the Akali Dal delegation in the US and Canada, as “anti-national”. “This is unbecoming of the president of Akali Dal, a party that claims to represent and watch Sikh interests, to damn an entire community as anti-national just because they are critical of you and your party,” he said.
Amritsar MP, instead suggested Sukhbir and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to “introspect” as to why there was so much “anger” and “outrage” against them and their party everywhere not only in the foreign countries, but back home in Punjab as well.
“They are our own people not anti-nationals as you are trying to damn them,” he said while asking Sukhbir, “why is it that only the Akalis having association with Badals are facing so many protestsIJ”
The former Chief Minister pointed out that it is not only in US and Canada that the Akalis are facing such protests as they were facing similar protests in Punjab also. “Do you mean everybody is anti-national just because they are showing you the mirror as you have failed them on all fronts and on all countsIJ” he alleged.
Captain Amarinder regretted that instead of addressing their “anger and alienation”, Sukhbir had made a highly “irresponsible” statement that does no good to anyone and will create more bitterness.
Hitting back hard at Sukhbir, Bajwa asserted he had no moral authority to question loyalty of Punjabis settled abroad who continued to be rooted to their native land and were concerned about the rot here.
He asked Sukhbir how could the people raising questions about the loot by Badal family and non-performance of the government could be dubbed as anti-national.
“It is ironic that you have come to this level to attack those questioning the open loot of Punjab by you and your family members, including that of extended family, and non-governance and mismanagement as anti-national rather than satisfying their queries. The hostile reception your ministers are getting in these countries is a mirror reflection of the anti-Akali sentiment in Punjab,” he said.
Bajwa said: “In case your memory is too short, I would also like to remind you that your wife Harsimrat Badal and then candidate from Bathinda during 2014 lok Sabha elections, was shown black flags and not allowed to enter in a number of villages in her constituency. Were they too anti-national.”
He reminded Sukhbir that it was his father and now the Chief Minister who had resorted to anti-national act of burning the Constitution.
“The problem with Sukhbir is that he has been selling dreams to the people and the balloon has now burst. No proof is now needed of the failure of his government than the move to raise Rs 10,000 crore from the banks in the name of carrying development to buy victory in 2017 Assembly election,” he said.
Bajwa made it clear that he and his party were with all Punjabis who were questioning the Badal government’s performance and staging demonstrations.
He also challenged Sukhbir to visit these countries himself in case he had the guts and face the questions.