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Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday attacked the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying the parties had failed Punjab and appealed to people to respond with faith in the SAD ahead of the Tarn Taran bypoll.
Recalling the Operation Blue Star under former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, he attacked Congress State Chief Raja Warring for hailing Gandhi. Addressing public meetings, the SAD president said, "We can never forget or forgive the Congress party for ordering the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib. It is an insult to us that the present Pradesh Congress President, Raja Warring, continues to eulogise Indira Gandhi and proudly calls her his mother. It is this thinking which has resulted in bloodshed in the State and needs to be snubbed resolutely." Operation Blue Star was a 10-day military operation spanning from June 1 to June 10, 1984. June 6, 1984, marked the day when the Indian Army, under Operation Blue Star, stormed into the Golden Temple on orders of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to contain Sikh militancy under the leadership of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Punjab. The Operation was heavily criticised. Months later, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards at her New Delhi residence on October 31, 1984. Slamming the AAP government in Punjab, Sukhbir Badal said, "This government is riddled with corruption and lawlessness. You have witnessed the seizure of Rs 7 crore from the residence of DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar. This money had been collected from the sand mafia for onward transportation to Arvind Kejriwal. Other officers are also collecting crores of rupees to fill the coffers of the Delhi high command of AAP. That is why Punjabis are suffering". Badal also spoke on how AAP was becoming desperate and had started registering false cases against party workers and even SAD candidate's daughter Kanchanpreet Kaur. He said AAP candidate Harmeet Sandhu, who was an Akali turncoat, was also intimidating SAD workers. Asserting that Harmeet Sandhu should not feel that he would get away scot free, he said, "The same police who are guarding you will take action against you after one year for the illegal acts being done by you." He also urged officers to beware of filing false cases against Akali workers under pressure from the AAP dispensation. "All officers who file false cases will have to suffer the consequences of their illegal acts as per law," Badal added. The SAD president also urged the people to repose faith in the SAD, which had served them with dedication for more than a century. "None of you can say that the SAD has betrayed you even once. In fact, the SAD has always kept the interests of farmers and the poor at the top of its priority list. That is the party that made the electricity supply to tubewells free of cost for farmers. It is also credited with coming up with innovative social welfare schemes, including old age pension, aata-daal scheme and Shagun scheme. These schemes have helped the poor tremendously," Badal said. "In future, we are committed to taking this momentum forward by ensuring a pucca home for every citizen of the State. We will do our best to make Punjab the number one State of the country. All we seek is your support", the SAD president added. During his tour of villages Baghiari, Kasel, Swargapuri, Adda Jhabal, Jhabal Kham, Panjwar Khurd, the SAD president was accompanied by party candidate and Azad Group's chief, Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa. The bypoll will be held on November 11, following the seat becoming vacant after AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal passed away on June 27. The counting of votes for the bye-election is scheduled for November 14. (ANI)
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