Rein in Akalis: Mittal to Sukhbir

Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 4

The controversy over the absence of a Sikh regiment in the Republic Day parade has sparked a row between the ruling alliance partners.

With the Akalis calling it yet another “disservice to the community by the Modi government”, the BJP has come to the defence of their leader.

Senior BJP leader and Industry Minister Madan Mohan Mittal asked the Akali Dal “to exercise restraint and check facts before hitting out at the BJP-led NDA government”.

Referring to the statements by top Akali leaders on the issue, he asked SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal to rein in his party men.

Mittal told The Tribune, “Such irresponsible statements by senior Akali leaders such as Sewa Singh Sekhwan will only lead to bad blood between the coalition partners.”

Following protests by various Sikh organisations, several Akali leaders, including Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Sekhwan, had expressed concern over the non-inclusion of the Sikh regiment. 

Sekhwan had accused the Centre of discrimination against Punjab. The Chief Minister had termed the episode “sad and regrettable”, while the BJP dondownplayed the controversy.