SAD trying to harm me: Sidhu

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 19

A day after his convoy was attacked in Jammu during campaigning, former Amritsar Member of Parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu today fired a fresh salvo at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He said unlike Badal, he had never exploited religion to gratify vested interests or settle personal scores. He said he was ready to apologise to Akal Takht as well as every Sikh over the ‘Gurbani’ row.

“The Akali Dal stands exposed. They are trying to harm me politically under the pretext of Gurbani row. They don’t have anything to say against me politically. That is why they are resorting to such acts,” Sidhu claimed. He alleged the Badals could not see any other Sikh leader rise.

“The SAD top brass is baffled at my increasing popularity. Those who attacked my convoy in Jammu were proclaimed offenders from Gurdaspur, the constituency of SAD leader Sucha Singh Langah,” the former MP said.

Sidhu said he was a humble Sikh and was ready to apologise to Akal Takht if his utterances had hurt Sikh sentiments. “My religion is the most sacred to me and my life is mentored by the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. I have never used religion to settle personal scores like Badal Sahib who is known for playing political games under the garb of religion,” he said.

The BJP leader lashed out at the SAD leadership for “hampering” the development of Amritsar merely to pull him down.

SAD launches a counter-offensive
Chandigarh: The SAD on Friday asked BJP leader Navjot Sidhu to explain to the Sikhs why he committed “wanton sacrilege”. The party said the Sikhs in Jammu had repeatedly demanded that he sought forgiveness from the community for distorting Gurbani. “Instead of responding to their demand, Sidhu is politicising the issue,” alleged SAD general secretary Maheshinder Singh Grewal. — TNS