CM bent upon dividing Sikh community: Sukhbir

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, October 14

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Mondy said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh was bent upon dividing the Sikh community on the pious occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev.

Addressing gatherings at various villages in the constituency in favour of SAD candidate Manpreet Singh Ayali, Badal said the Sikh community would not let the nefarious designs of the Congress succeed in dividing the community by holding a separate function against the advisory of Sri Akal Takth. He said the “Panth” would repose faith in the SGPC and the programmes being organised by the democratically elected religious body.

Taking the Chief Minister head on, Badal asked whether Capt Amarinder Singh had organised a religious function or even ‘kirtan darbar’ during the last two-and-a-half years? He said the CM had not deemed it fit to pay obeisance at Sri Darbar Sahab after taking over as the Chief Minister. He said even now, nothing was being done to improve the infrastructure in the holy city of Sultanpur Lodhi. He recounted how the Congress party thwarted all efforts for a joint celebration and even disregarded the “adesh” of Sri Akal Takth Jathedar in this regard.

“The SGPC even formed a coordination committee for this purpose and made numerous pleas to the CM, all of which fell on deaf ears,” he said.

Asking the CM to concentrate on governance instead of interfering in religious matters, Badal said Punjab was witnessing home delivery of drugs under the Congress rule. He said this had happened because Congress ministers and legislators were providing shelter to the drug mafia. He highlighted how each and every section of society was discriminated against during the Congress rule with farmer loans not being waived, youth not being given promised jobs and social welfare schemes being discontinued.

Speaking about Dakha Assembly constituency, Badal alleged that Congress MP Ravneet Bittu had been twice elected from the Ludhiana parliamentary constituency but had done nothing for the area. He said former AAP legislator HS Phoolka also betrayed the trust of the people by running away from the constituency. He said Congress candidate Sandeep Sandhu was an outsider, who did not know the names of 10 villages of the constituency.

“In direct contrast, SAD candidate Manpreet Ayali was known by his work. He had created gyms, parks and stadiums besides cleaning up village ponds by using innovative scientific methods,” he said.