Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) president and Punjab Democratic Alliance’s (PDA) joint candidate from Bathinda Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday blamed Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for cheating the Sikhs by giving clean chit to former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in the Behbal Kalan firing on Sikhs protesting against sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.
“The SIT formed to investigate the role of police and SAD leaders in the Behbal Kalan case on the recommendations of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission had quietly submitted challan in the Faridkot court on April 24, giving clean chit to the Badals. Capt Amarinder’s lofty statements of putting the Badals behind bars were only political gimmicks and reflection of his true political character,” said Khaira.
Khaira stated that the timing of transfer of SIT member IGP Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, who questioned the Badals, and filing of challan in his absence has raised many questions about the involvement of Capt Amarinder in the conspiracy hatched by the Badals to get Kunwar Vijay Partap transferred under the garb of election model code.
Strongly condemning Capt Amarinder for allowing Badal to go scot free, Khaira said that even a day after the challan was presented in the court, the Chief Minister continued to befool people with his false statements of putting Badals behind bars. He described Capt Amarinder’s conduct as shameful and below the dignity of office he is holding.
“Giving clean chit to the Badals in Behbal Kalan case is a slap on the face of Capt Amarinder and his loud-mouthed ministerial colleagues who were making statements inside and outside the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to arrest the Badals, accused of sacrilege cases and firing on Sikhs,” he said. He said that giving clean chit to the Badals before Lok Sabha elections was not without political motives and an attempt to give political advantage to Harsimarat Kaur Badal and Sukhbir Badal who are contesting from Bathinda and Ferozepur respectively.