Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on Sunday blamed the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for their “evil designs” to create unrest in the State.
Sukhbir, addressing a meeting of Akali workers at a local palace to mobilise the party rank and file for the first Sadbhawna Rally being held at Bathinda on November 23, cautioned the people of the state to beware of the cheap political gimmickry of both these parties on emotional issues, which is detrimental for the hard earned peace and communal harmony of the State.
Asserting that some forces “inimical” to the progress of Punjab were hell bent upon destroying the hard earned peace of the state, he said: “These forces will be exposed before the people so that they are not able to succeed in their nefarious designs against the state.”
Coming down heavily on the Congress and AAP terming the duo as the “two sides of a coin”, Sukhbir said that the time has come when the anti-Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat forces must be shown the door.“We will not allow anybody to disturb peace, communal harmony and law and order at any cost. There are forces working from outside the country and trying desperately to disrupt peace by holding marches and the so-called Sarbat Khalsa with the backing of Congress and AAP leadership,” he said.“Akali Dal workers will deal firmly with such elements,” he added.
Reiterating that Punjabis have always upheld the ethos of peace and brotherhood in the state, Sukhbir expressed hope that no one would ever be able to destroy the deep-knitted social fabric of the state and appealed to all Punjabis to remain vigilant and maintain peace and communal harmony in the state at all costs.
He also expressed deep anguish at the incidents of the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and said that these conspiracies are the handiwork of those elements that are jealous of the brotherhood and communal harmony and rapid development of Punjab.
Answering queries of media-persons, Sukhbir congratulated Janta Dal (U) leader Nitish Kumar and his alliance partners for victory in the Bihar Assembly polls.
He also admitted that Bihar mandate was a setback for NDA and the alliance will introspect reasons for defeat.To another question, Sukhbir said recent visits of Rahul Gandhi and AAP to Punjab were a ‘mere drama’ and these were meant to misguide people of State. He also lashed out at the Rahul Gandhi saying that a party linked to 1984 riots and whose Government carried out Operation Bluestar could not claim Sikh respect.