Akali Dal committee places full faith in Sukhbir Badal’s leadership, flays Kangana Ranaut

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, June 13

On a day when one of the closest aides of SAD president Sukhbir Badal asked him to tender a written apology to the Sikh Panth for various “controversial” decisions, the party’s core committee today rallied behind the party president.

Lauds ‘selfless’ decisions

The manner in which the SAD president took brave and selfless decisions, making unheard-of personal sacrifices in the party’s interests, is a matter of pride. — SAD core committee

The meeting introspected on the Lok Sabha poll loss and placed on record its “whole-hearted appreciation of the spirited, selfless and resolute leadership provided by party president Sukhbir Badal, especially during the past six months leading up to the polling date”.

It said, “The manner in which the SAD president took brave and selfless decisions, making unheard-of personal sacrifices in the party’s interests, is a matter of pride for the entire party. The party places full faith and confidence in his leadership and salutes his single-minded devotion in the party’s interests.”

Charanjit Singh Brar, OSD to Sukhbir Badal, in an open letter on social media earlier in the day, demanded that the party should tender a written apology to Akal Takht and accept punishment for controversial decisions taken in the past by the leadership.

The core committee took a serious view of a well-orchestrated and vicious vilification campaign against the party and its leadership.

In a resolution, the party expressed deep concern over the growing communal polarisation in society and its abuse in politics in the country. Referring to MP Kangana Ranaut, it said. “While the party does not approve of resorting to violence, Kangana must be held accountable for her abusive, humiliating and rabidly communal utterances, which caused deep emotional hurt that led to the unfortunate incident at the airport. Kulwinder Kaur’s alleged action must not be seen in isolation of the circumstances that led to it.”

The party also strongly opposed the pernicious idea of “one nation-one culture” being promoted the country.

The core committee said it would not be part of either the NDA or the INDIA block.

Deliberating on the loss in the elections, the committee said voters chose their ballot on either ‘anti-Modi’ or ‘pro-Modi’ basis where the SAD was not a factor.

After a six-hour meeting of the core committee, party spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema, referring to rebels, said if anyone had any issue concerning the party working, he should raise it before the disciplinary committee of the party.

Senior leaders, including former Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh, his son Parminder Singh Dhindsa, besides senior leader Sikander Singh Maluka, who heads the present disciplinary committee, were missing at the meeting. Dhindsa and his son did not participate in the election campaign after they were denied the ticket from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat.

Iqbal Singh Jhunda, who unsuccessfully contested the election from Sangrur, had in a press conference on Tuesday, demanded strong action against the Dhindsas for anti-party activities.