Baba Bakala (Amritsar), Aug 28 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday appealed to Punjabis to shun the “anti-Punjab” and “anti-Panth” stooges who were working with the sole purpose of weakening SAD and taking the state back to the dark era of the 1980s.
Addressing a gathering here to mark Rakhar Punya, the SAD president said, “These people have no respect for our religion. They shamelessly use our religious garb to attack us inside our Gurughar.
“If they come to power, they will attack us in our homes. They want the dark era of the 1980s to return when people feared venturing out of their homes and the honour of our womenfolk was violated.” On August 13, Badal sustained injuries to his right hand in a ‘kirpan’ (ceremonial
dagger) attack by a member of the Nihang order inside a gurdwara on the outskirts of the Maharashtra town. The attacker was later arrested.
The attack on Badal in Nanded was the second such incident in around two years. In December 2024, he survived an assassination attempt while he was performing ‘sewadar’ duty at the Golden Temple in Amritsar after the Akal Takht pronounced the ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) for “mistakes” committed during the party’s rule in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
Badal had on Tuesday said Punjab should be saved from forces whose only target is to disturb peace and foment trouble to push the state back into an era of darkness.
On Wednesday, Badal had attacked jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, alleging that he wanted to take Punjab back to the 1980s when no one was safe. Amritpal Singh heads Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De).
Many political parties set up their stage at the Rakhar Punya fair in Baba Bakala where senior leaders of the respective parties addressed the gathering.
Claiming that those who were calling themselves Waris Punjab De were imposters, Sukhbir Badal said, “Their leader (Amritpal) tried to copy Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala.” Urging people to recognise and shun such elements, Badal said Amritpal Singh and his supporters had first run away from the police and then used the Guru Granth Sahib as a shield while leading a protest in front of a police station.
He also claimed how Amritpal’s family had been active Congressmen for more than 36 years “and had never condemned the attack on Darbar Sahib or the genocide of Sikhs”.
He also ridiculed the claims of sacrifices being made by Waris Punjab De, asserting the party had organised a ‘morcha’ to free Amritpal instead of agitating for the freedom of the “Bandi Singhs”.
“It is SAD alone which is continuously striving to ensure the freedom of Bandi Singhs. The Bandi Singh families also impose their trust in us,” he asserted.
Badal also launched a scathing attack on the AAP dispensation over various issues including corruption.
Urging people to save Punjab while asserting that SAD alone could bring in peace and speedy development, Badal alleged that the AAP government had bankrupted the state by indebting it to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh crore in the last 4.5 years alone besides betraying each and every section of society.
“Farmers did not get any compensation for their crop losses. Employees are not being given their dearness allowance (DA) and pension dues.
“Women were denied the Rs 1,000 per month promised allowance for four-and-a-half years and even now, only part of the beneficiaries have been given this allowance,” he said.
Claiming that SAD had a plan for all sections of society, Badal said, “We are committed to ensuring tubewell connections to all farmers who are bereft of them.” He said if SAD comes to power after the assembly polls in Punjab, which are scheduled to be held early next year, “we will establish concrete ‘bundhs’ on the Sutlej and Beas rivers to end the menace of flooding once and for all”.
“We will also ensure no polluted water enters our rivers,” he said.
He said old age pension would be given at Rs 3,100 per month while among other promises, the SAD chief said Rs 10 lakh interest-free loan for the youth will be given.
Senior SAD leaders includng Bikram Singh Majithia, Sucha Singh Langah, were also present on the occasion. PTI JMS SUN KSS KSS
