The rift between the allies — Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — has widened after the Akali Dal blamed the saffron party for the defeat it suffered in the Delhi elections. On Wednesday the gap broadened when Punjab local Bodies Minister and senior BJP leader Anil Joshi, training his guns at his own Government, threatened to put in his papers after blaming the State Revenue Minister and Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia’s “team” for a “pre-planned” attack on his brother at Tarn Taran.
Joshi minced no words to point at current law and order situation in the State by saying, “If a Minister and his family is not secure, and would not get justice, one can gauge what all is happening in Punjab”. BJP leader also maintained that he has asked the State party chief Kamal Sharma to “review” the alliance and “for just four Ministries and four post of chief parliamentary secretaries, the party is not going to take things lying down and we need to take a call on the continuation of the alliance”.
“I want Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to take notice of what is happening in Punjab,” said Joshi. “I have told party president that they should review BJP’s alliance with SAD in the State,” he said while saying that he would soon be meeting Amit Shah.
Addressing a Press conference a day after his brother was allegedly attacked by Akali leaders outside SDM office, Joshi made it clear that if anything happened to his family or any worker, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in his capacity of Home Minister, Majithia and Akali CPS Harmeet Singh Sandhu would be “held responsible”.
Joshi, accompanied by his brother Rakesh Joshi alias Raja Joshi, went on to blame Akali Dal “for spreading goondaism, terrorizing and threatening the BJP workers in the State”. “This is not just one incident, hundreds of BJP workers are going through all this,” said Joshi while demanding registration of attempt to murder case against the attackers and an “independent judicial probe” in the matter.
Joshi’s younger brother Raja Joshi was allegedly attacked by “gun-wielding” SAD workers outside the SDM office on Tuesday. The attackers fired “direct” gunshots at Raja Joshi and snatched away his personal revolver. BJP leader on Wednesday released a video footage of five Akali men firing at his brother and assaulting him at Tarn Taran deputy commissioner office in full public view and in the presence of police personnel.
“The attackers are Baljit Singh Gill Akali councilor, Jagwant Singh SAD’s candidate for civic polls, Rajesh Rinku also SAD’s candidate, Yadwinder Singh Yadu councilor, and another councilor Surjit Singh lalli,” alleged Joshi while pointing these men in the video footage of the incident. The video showed several men, at least three of them, carrying pistols firing at Joshi’s brother and then throwing him on the ground. One of them is then seen grabbing Raja’s pistol and walking away.
The footage also showed police personnel, including city SHO, present on the spot as onlookers and only intervening later. In no uncertain words, Joshi named Majithia saying that “attack is on the instance of Akali CPS Harmeet Singh Sandhu…who is a part of Majithia’s team…Majithia, Sukhbir Badal, Sandhu and nagar council former president will be responsible if anything happen to me and my family”.
It has been learnt that good relations between Joshi, Sandhu and Majithia turned sour over the issue of distribution of seat and selection of candidates for Tarn Taran municipal councils polls, scheduled for February 25. The development assumes significance as the fissures between the two allies has been widening ever since the combine lose seven seats out of 13 in 2014 general elections, followed by SAD’s decision to support Indian National lok Dal (INlD) in Haryana Assembly polls against BJP, among other issues.
It was only almost a month ago that SAD-BJP came together to contest state municipal elections, especially after the BJP was considering options to go solo for 2017 Assembly polls in Punjab. Delhi Assembly polls results, announced on Tuesday, has also led to blame-game between the two.
CM constitutes SIT to probe incident
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising IG Border Range Ishwar Chander and Amritsar Commissioner of Police Jatinder Singh Aulakh to probe the shootout incident. Badal has directed IG Border and Tarn Taran SSP to take all possible measures to avert recurrence of any such and ensure that law and orders is maintained at all costs.
“Chief Minister is in constant touch with IG Border and Tarn Taran SSP to keep himself updated on the case,” said a spokesperson of Chief Minister’s Office. Badal has reiterated his Government’s full commitment to maintain law and order and upholding rule of law in the State. He has also asked SAD secretary and spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema to ascertain circumstances surrounding the case.
Punjab BJP calls urgent core group meeting today
Strongly condemning the “murderous attack” on Raja Joshi, Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma termed it as “dirty display of power”. The party, to decide party’s further course of action over the incident, has also called an “urgent” core group meeting on Thursday.
“The party would not bear such acts on the part of anyone and would condemn those murderous acts at all levels…I have talked to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal over the issue and has conveyed feelings of the entire state unit over the episode,” said Sharma in his official statement. He said that the party high command in Delhi was also immediately apprised over the issue on Wednesday. “This unfortunate episode is a setback for the democratic processes in the State,” he said.
At the same time, BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh, while condemning the clash, demanded immediate action against the guilty Akali Dal leaders. Demanding that the accused be booked for attempt to murder and arrested immediately, Chugh said that the BJP will not tolerate any compromise with the respect and security of BJP leaders and workers. Chugh said that police officers, who remained mute spectators during the clash, should be dismissed from service including SSP Manmohan Sharma and SHO Nirmalo Singh.