Will declare gangsters, drug mafia as terrorists if SAD wins Punjab Assembly poll: Sukhbir Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday promised to declare gangsters and drug traffickers as “terrorists”, if voted to power in the Punjab Assembly election next year.

Addressing his party’s Punjab Bachao Rally here, he also promised to bring in a legislation denying bail to gangsters and drug lords besides seizing their properties.

“I feel the time has come to bring in a legislation to deal with this twin challenge,” said Sukhbir, “Meanwhile, I advise them to leave Punjab or be ready to face the consequences,” he added.

The SAD chief also claimed that CM Bhagwant Mann was indulging in flip-flops on sensitive issues, including that of the killing of an ASI and a Home Guard jawan at a checkpost close to the India-Pakistan border in Gurdaspur.

Sukhbir said initially the government was clueless about the murders and later he lauded their supreme sacrifice by announcing Rs 1 crore ex gratia to their families.

“Now, he is claiming that the two could have died following a scuffle between them,” said Sukhbir. The SAD president also condemned the AAP government for “befooling” people by launching schemes like the Punjab Rasoi.

He said this was being done in a desperate bid to influence voters in the run- up to the 2027 Assembly elections. “Such gimmicks cannot save AAP’s sinking ship,” he claimed.