How can CM dissociate from Khalistan issue: Bajwa

Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday questioned Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the issue of Khalistan saying that he could not dissociate himself from his Khalistani past.Bajwa, reacting to Badal’s statement that Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra  never discussed Khalistan issue with him, said: “How can you dissociate from what is on the recordIJ”  

“You seem to suffer from selective amnesia as you feign ignorance about the issues which you feel are now inconvenient to you. I would like to refresh your memory that you had signed memorandum submitted to United Nations demanding Khalistan which also carried signature of Jathedar Tohra. I can hand over a copy of that memorandum to you in case you have forgotten about it,” said Bajwa.

Bajwa quoted the relevant para from the memorandum which states, “Demilitarisation and decolonisation of Punjab is crucial and indispensable to enable Sikh people to enjoy full freedom to exercise their economic, social, and cultural rights. like all free people of the world, the Sikh Nation, in accordance with the UN Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples seek an independent and sovereign State to break the shackles of apartheid, slavery, colonialism and a retrograde political system and structure.”

Slamming Badal for always resorting to politics of convenience and thereby befooling people, Bajwa said that his getting irritated on the issue with media persons asking him questions about Tohra having ever discussed the Khalistan issue with him a day before at Tohra village was understandable as his commitment had only been to power.Bajwa reminded Badal that he used to criticise Jathedar Tohra as the agent of the Congress after the split in Akali Dal in 1999. He added that Badal was yet to give an explanation to the people as to why the Akali Dal extended support to land acquisition legislation adopted by the NDA in the lok Sabha while a day earlier, the party had issued a written statement after its core committee meeting announcing its opposition to the Bill.

“The people of Punjab have now come to realise that Badal has only one agenda and that is to look after the interests of his family,” said Bajwa.