"Extremely sad": Congress' Manish Tewari condemns attack on SAD leader Sukhbir Badal; calls for probe

Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Manish Tewari said, "It is extremely sad and condemnable. Sri Akal Takht Sahib is the biggest religious organisation for Sikhs and Sukhbir Singh Badal was completing his punishment but attacking him is highly condemnable. An investigation should be done and action should be taken against the responsible people."

A man opened fire at SAD leader and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday morning while he was serving his penance as 'sewadar' at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The shooter who fired at SAD leaders, including its former chief Badal was identified as Narayan Singh Chaura by the police. He was overpowered by people on the spot and caught.

ADCP Harpal Singh said, "There were proper security arrangements here. Sukhbir ji was properly covered (given cover). Narayan Singh Chaura (assailant) was here yesterday as well. Today too, he first paid obeisance to the Guru. Nobody was hurt by the bullet."

Singh said, "Security arrangements were proper. The person (shooter) tried to do some mischief but he could not succeed."

The police official said that Badal was not hurt. Clad in a a blue 'sewadar' uniform, Badal was sitting at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a plaque card around his neck as part of the 'tankhah' religious punishment pronounced by Akal Takht Board for religious misconduct during his tenure from 2007 to 2017.

Suddenly a man fired at him. People standing around him quickly captured the shooter.

Badal was declared a 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) in August by Akal Takht, which announced religious punishment for him. Badal, who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, Badal is doing 'sewadar' work - washing utensils, cleaning shoes and washrooms at the Golden Temple.

The Akal Takht issued the punishments for him citing the "mistakes" and "some decisions" taken by SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, "First of all, I would like to thank Guru Nanak. Jako Rakhe Saaiyan, Maar Sake Na Koy. 'Sevaks' were offering 'seva' here. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was sitting by the Guru Ram Das Dwar as 'Chowkidar'. Bullet was fired in his direction. I thank Guru Nanak that he saved his 'sevak'. This is a huge incident, what era is Punjab being pushed into? I would like to ask the CM of Punjab, where do you want to take Punjab? The attacker was caught on the spot. I also thank the security personnel here. Had they not acted promptly. There should be a high-level judicial enquiry into the incident. We will continue with our 'seva'. (ANI)