Patiala SSP going on leave proves viral audio clip genuine: Sukhbir Badal

With Patiala SSP Varun Sharma proceeding on leave, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said the move proved that the viral conference call of the police officer directing district police officials to allegedly create hurdles for opposition candidates in the zila parishad elections was genuine.

“A free and fair probe will indict the SSP and prove that he had taken the law into his own hands,” said Badal while addressing a gathering at Majitha’s Kathunangal along with party MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia to seek support for his party candidates in the elections. He further said the Akali Dal would continue to seek legal recourse to ensure a criminal case against the SSP.

Related news: ‘Where are corrective directions’: HC raps poll panel amid audio clip row

Caught in ‘audio clip’ row, Patiala SSP proceeds on leave 

Badal urged the people to ensure the victory of SAD in all four zila parishad as well as samiti seats”. He also made a clarion announcement on the occasion that Talbir Singh Gill, who had backstabbed the SAD and joined AAP, would never be admitted into the Akali fold. “Such persons have defamed the SAD and enriched themselves at the cost of people”. 

He also requested police officers, including Majitha DSP Dharminder Kalyan, not to act in a partisan manner in the polls, asserting if they did so they should be ready to face legal action.

He recalled that during the last 60 years, Congress chief ministers Giani Zail Singh, Darbara Singh, Beant Singh and Capt Amarinder Singh did nothing for the state, and the same was the case with AAP CM Bhagwant Mann. 

In sharp contrast, he added, the late Parkash Singh Badal during his 22 years in power had established thermal plants, Universities, cancer institutes and world class memorials besides giving free power to farmers and introducing novel social welfare initiatives like old age pension, Shagun and Aata Dal scheme.