Under attack from all sides over the sacrilege issue, Punjab’s former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday declared that he and his son Sukhbir Badal were ready to sacrifice their lives for defending the cause of peace and communal harmony in the state.
Badal minced no words to accuse the Congress-led State Government of encouraging the radical elements while claiming that there was a plot to assassinate him and his son. He said that a Sikh radical was nabbed with a pistol, from the rally, meant to kill him and his son at the rally.
“I have been informed by the police about a plot to assassinate me and my son. But, we neither frighten others nor are going to be frightened by such reports or threats,” said Badal while addressing the Shiromani Akali Dal’s much-hyped ‘Jabar Virodh Rally’ in Faridkot town.
“I am ready to sacrifice myself and my son Sukhbir (SAD president) for the cause of peace and communal harmony in the state,” he declared, while adding, “The Khalsa Panth represents a history of sacrifices for upholding the values of peace, communal harmony and Sarbat da Bhala as enshrined in the teachings of Sikh Gurus”.
Badal alleged that the Congress was in collusion with the forces that had already put Punjab through a period of turmoil, violence and bloodshed.
Sukhbir accused the radical Sikh preachers, Baljit Singh Daduwal and Dhian Singh Mand, of being “Congress puppets”.
SAD’s rally was held amid a face-off with the Congress Government led by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh which had earlier refused permission for the rally citing law and order, apprehending that there could be violence between Akali workers and some radical Sikhs already protesting at Bargari, which is about 40 kms from the venue.
Following, the SAD moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which, on Saturday, gave permission to the rally, while asking the government to maintain law and order.
The rally was held amidst tight security with heavy police deployment at the venue. However, some people, protesting against sacrilege incidents reported during the previous SAD-BJP government (2007-2017), also staged protest.
Around 20 companies of police personnel were deployed in Faridkot to maintain law and order situation during the rally after the Sikh
hardliners announced a protest against Badals over sacrilege incident.
SAD had been under fire from various sections after tabling of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission’s report on sacrilege incidents in 2015, when the SAD-BJP combine was in power in the state.
Badal, addressing the gathering, said: “It is the same old nexus between the Congress and some elements rejected by the Khalsa Panth.”
“The Congress’ objective is to fulfill its old dream of grabbing control of the Sikh shrines and historic religious institutions. The main target is the SGPC. The Congress knows that it cannot achieve that openly...that is why they are using these so-called Panthic outfits as their front men. They have tried this ploy before. But failure has not taught them any lessons,” the Akali Dal patriarch said.
Badal warned that “the Congress collusion with these forces could set Punjab on fire again as it had done in the 80s”.
He claimed that the Congress government’s agenda was to divert people’s attention “from its shocking failure to fulfill its promises and meeting the expectations of the people”.
Badal also launched an attack on the Congress by invoking the incidents of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and Operation Bluestar in 1984, an operation carried out to flush out the militants hiding inside the Golden Temple complex.
Referring to permission granted to hold the rally at Faridkot, Badal thanked the High Court for “saving” democracy. “The High Court order is a victory of democracy and defeat of dictatorial and feudal forces,” he said.
Earlier, Sukhbir Badal took a dig at the Chief Minister saying that “he has proved to be a good for nothing”.
“While Parkash Singh Badal was a leader of the masses who had always stood for the cause of the poor, Capt Amarinder and other Congress leaders had used some words to belittle the Akali stalwart,” he said.
He said that Capt Amarinder is a “completely unethical person” and that “everyone is acquainted with his past and character”.
Punjab BJP’s former president Rajinder Bhandari, who also spoke on the occasion, said the SAD- BJP alliance was permanent and stood for peace and communal harmony as well as prosperity of Punjab.
“After the passing away of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is the tallest political leader in the country,” he said.
Senior SAD leader Bikram Majithia highlighted how the state Local Bodies Minister Navjot Sidhu had sung paeans to the glory of Bapu Asaram and Radhe Maa.
SAD MP Balwinder Bhundur said that the Congress and its agents wanted to reignite Punjab solely to weaken the SAD and Sikh institutions.