Alliance with BJP strong as ever, claims Sukhbir

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara/Mukerian, Oct 16

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the SAD-BJP alliance was in the national as well as state’s interest. He claimed that their ties with the saffron party were permanent in Punjab.

Addressing poll rallies at Phagwara and Mukerian in support of BJP candidates Rajesh Bagha and Jangi Lal Mahajan, respectively, the SAD president said the alliance was a symbol of peace and communal harmony in Punjab. He said some parties were spreading rumours of a rift between the allies to take political mileage in the forthcoming bypolls. “But the people of Punjab understand that the SAD and the BJP offer unconditional support to each other”.

Sukhbir highlighted how the NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had resolved long pending issues of the Sikh community. He claimed that it was due to the affirmative action of the NDA government due to which anti-Sikh riot cases were reopened and Sajjan Kumar was jailed. He said Jagdish Tytler and Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath would also meet the same fate soon. He said the manner in which the Centre had extended support to the 550th Parkash Purb celebrations as well as its decision to construct the Kartarpur corridor had answered the prayers of the entire Sikh sangat.

He said the Congress government did not have one achievement to list even after two-and-a-half years in governance. He said all sections of society were being discriminated against, with the farmers, khet mazdoor, youth and Dalits being the worst-hit.

State BJP president Shwait Malik said all schemes started by the previous SAD-BJP government including old-age pension, widow pension and Shagun had been stopped even as drug and sand mafia were thriving. Others present on the occasion included Union Minister Som Prakash, Vijay Sampla, Prabhat Jha, Dinesh Kumar, Tikshan Sud, SS Channy, Daljit Cheema and Jarnail Singh Wahid.