Taking strong exception to the statements of some Punjab BJP leaders casting aspersions on Akali Dal in the wake of coalition’s performance in just-concluded lok Sabha elections, the Shiromani Akali Dal on Sunday described it as “uncalled for, avoidable and a violation of the coalition dharma.”
“These statements have gone against the spirit of the sacred and unbreakable bonds between the SAD and the BJP,” said the SAD secretary general Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and general secretary Balwinder Singh Bhunder.
They added, “Ours is oldest and longest-standing political coalition in the country. Our bonds are not a mere political tie-up but a union of hearts which has stood the test of time. It is driven by the collective desire of the people of Punjab for peace and communal harmony.”
Regarding the issues raised by the BJP leaders, Akali leaders said: “First, all decisions in the Government are taken on the basis of mutually agreed policies after a process of detailed discussions in the spirit of collective responsibility...Secondly, even when there are differences of opinion, there is mutually agreed system and mechanism between the two parties to discuss and resolve these differences. Therefore, discussing these differences in public violates political decorum and coalition dharma.”
The Akalis, referring to property tax and sand mining, said that these issues pertain to the departments of local Government and Industry, and both are with the BJP “which enjoy complete freedom in the working of these departments”.
“It is wrong to blame decisions and policies of these departments on the SAD. In fact, the BJP Ministers and leaders are consulted even on other departments and decisions are arrived at after detailed, free and frank discussions,” they added.
They pointed that a Committee was set up for sand mines under the chairmanship of Madan Mohan Mittal with Industries Minister Anil Joshi as a member, and its recommendations were accepted and implemented in toto. “The problem of sand in state is only due to the Centre’s refusal of environmental clearance to sand mines in the state. Even then, sand sells cheaper in Punjab than in neighbouring Haryana or Delhi.”
It also reminded that decision to impose property tax in its present form was local government department’s decision headed by BJP, and “before taking and implementing this decision, the minister had consulted the state BJP leadership in detail”.
Claiming that BJP leaders’ statements are “factually wrong and politically inadvisable and unwise...and also violated political decorum”, they said that no one should try to take political mileage at the expense of one’s long standing political partners.
Akali leaders has asked the Punjab BJP leaders not to do or say anything which might amount to an embarrassment to the senior leaders of the two parties who share complete trust and respect for each other.
“let’s not play into the hands of corrupt Congress...as it would send a wrong signal everywhere,” said Dhindsa and Bhunder, while appealing the senior national BJP leaders to ask their state unit leaders to respect the coalition dharma and principles of shared responsibility.