Charging the Badal family for harbouring criminals to further their political interests, the Punjab Congress on Wednesday stated that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had became “safe sanctuary for the criminals” for all shades.
“Every time, an Akali leader is caught red-handed in criminal activity, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal or his lieutenants come out with ridiculous excuses. They either disown their party members or take stand that party has expelled them some time back for anti-party activities,” said Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa.
Terming Badal’s statement regarding party not taking responsibility of activities of any individual member of the party as “uncalled for”, Bajwa said that drug smuggler Maninder Singh Bittu alias Aulakh arrested by Patiala police in synthetic drug racket was not an ordinary member of Akali Dal, but was protégé of Majithia and many other Akali leaders of Majha area. Highlighting the cases of young hotlier Gurkirat Singh Sekhon alias Gikki’s murder, killing of Amritsar ASI Ravinderpal Singh, death of BKU leader Sadhu Singh Takhtupura, killing of Congress leader Sukhraj Singh Bhogupur during panchayat polls besides seven others, Bajwa said police failed to at in all these case under “political pressure”.