Under attack after month-long unrest over a series of sacrilege incidents across Punjab, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday managed to put up a massive show of strength in its first Sadbhawna Rally at Bathinda.
Claiming to have a gathering of over three lakhs, the SAD made it clear that the rally was not for any political reasons, but for the peace and communal harmony of the State.
Notwithstanding, the way the SAD and BJP leader lashed out at the Congress, it was clear that the party was out to sound the poll bugle for the next State assembly polls, scheduled for 2017.
Punjab Chief Minister and SAD patron minced no words to allege that the main opposition, the Congress party, and Khalistan supporters are the two sides of the same coin. He claimed that they would not let anyone to bring back the “days of unrest” in Punjab at any cost.
“It is neither political nor personal but to reinforce the trust and confidence of the people of the state especially after the November 10 function organised by certain anti-Punjab and anti-panthic elements supported by the Congress to misguide the innocent people by exploiting their religious sentiments,” said Badal.
Badal also requested the people to help the government for a peaceful Punjab saying that only collective efforts of people and the state government can bring back peace. He asked the people to be careful about enemies disguised as friends and be careful before landing up to any conclusions.
Accusing Congress party for taking political mileage out of “unfortunate” sacrilege incidents by supporting November 10 Sarbat Khalsa event, Deputy CM and SAD president Sukhbir Badal challenged the Congress to equal the SAD’s show.
“Congress should stop dreaming about making a comeback in 2017 Assembly elections. I challenge Congress champions Capt Amarinder Singh and Partap Bajwa to bring together people in similar numbers at the same venue to listen to them,” he said.
Sukhbir held “external forces” responsible for the sudden unrest and blamed Congress leaders for such atrocities. He affirmed that justice would be delivered in the recent sacrilege incidents saying that the matter had been addressed to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to nab the culprits as soon as possible.
Political analysts are deducing SAD’s sadbhawna rallies as a part of its damage control exercise, to regain its lost ground following turbulence in different sections of society, including the farmers, Sikh supporters, among others.
Sukhbir, in fact, made it clear that the rally should be regarded as the “beginning of the battle of 2017” which would see the already decimated Congress party go into the political oblivion.
Besides the SAD’s who’s who — Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, party MPs, Cabinet Ministers, BJP leaders including Punjab party chief Kamal Sharma, Union Minister State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla and others participated in the rally.
BADAl ASKS OPPOSITION TO REFRAIN FROM PlAYING WITH FIRE
Appealing the entire opposition, especially the state Congress leaders Capt Amarinder Singh and Partap Singh Bajwa, to shun the divisive politics, Badal advised them “not to play with fire” with an ulterior motive to disturb congenial atmosphere of peace, communal harmony and brotherhood in the state.
Badal warned the leaders that the “flames of hatred politics would not only destroy the social fabric in the state but would also engulf them thereby decimating their very existence forever”.
Chief Minister categorically said that the Chaba function had established the fact that the radical groups, who were hell bent upon to disturb peace, harmony and tranquillity in the state, and anti-Sikh Congress party were the two sides of a same coin.
“These inimical forces to Punjab’s peace, prosperity and progress are constantly conspiring to push the state back into black days of militancy,” said Badal.
Badal asked the people to be wary of dubious role of these anti-Punjab and panthic forces who were trying to reorganize themselves to disturb state’s peaceful atmosphere. “leaders of these groups like Simranjeet Singh Mann and self-proclaimed Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib had not at all any base amongst the masses, which is evident from the fact that both were badly trounced and rejected by the electorate during the last general elections,” he said.
Badal impressed upon the people to act as ‘volunteers of peace’ in their respective villages, towns and cities to sensitize their fellow brethren and sisters to inculcate a sense of belongingness, love, peace, amity and brotherhood as preached our great Sikh gurus, saints, seers and prophets.
SUKHBIR REITERATES SAD’s COMMITMENT TO RUlE PUNJAB FOR 25 YEARS
Reiterating SAD’s firm resolve to rule the state for next 25 years, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal said that Akali Dal is the only force which has the ability to defeat evil forces out to destroy the hard earned peace of Punjab.
Sukhbir thundered that Congress party should desist from playing dirty games which have hampered the peaceful atmosphere of state earlier also.
Taking the Congress to task, Sukhbir said that like it did more than three decades ago, the Congress party is again fishing in troubled waters and poisoning the peaceful atmosphere of the state.
Describing the Congress as a leader of the fascist forces in league with other political parties like AAP and the BSP, he said that the recently-held Chabba congregation is a proof enough that the Congress, BSP and AAP are hand in glove with the anti-Punjab, anti-national and secessionist forces who again want to stoke the fires of communalism in the State.
Sukhbir, describing Punjab Congress as a pawn in the hands of Gandhi family, said that the Chabba congregation could not have been held without the tacit approval of the Gandhis. “Gandhi family has never cared for the welfare of Punjab instead this family was responsible for the storming of Golden Temple complex and the anti-Sikh massacre in 1984,” he said.
Mounting a stinging attack on the congress, the SAD President said the power struggle and rivalry going on in the Punjab Congress between Capt Amarinder and Partap Singh Bajwa are strengthening the hands of radicals and it would spell the doom for the party in Punjab.
HARSIMRAT APPEAlS TO IllUMINATE HOUSES ON GURPURAB
Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Badal, in her emotive address, said that the Sikhs could tolerate anything in their life but they could never compromise on the disrespect to their eternal guru, Guru Granth Sahib.
lambasting at Chaba function organized by anti-panthic and anti-Punjab forces, she said that it has brought these elements to the fore who were desperately making every effort to stall the process of prosperity and development in the state, by disturbing the peaceful atmosphere in the State.
She also made an emotional appeal to all the people across the globe to celebrate Parkash Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Dev by illuminating their houses, buildings and religious places in a big way so that anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh forces should get a foretaste of the 'never say die' spirit besides unity and brotherhood of Punjabis.
SHARMA URGES CM TO EXPOSE PERPETRATORS OF SACRIlEGE INCIDENTS
Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma said that the recent incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib had tormented the psyche of every Punjabi irrespective of his religion, caste and community because Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is an eternal Guru and none could ever tolerate disrespect towards this holy book.
He urged the Chief Minister to expose the perpetrators who committed this heinous crime against the mankind.