Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed to Punjabis to seal the borders of Punjab with their votes to prevent Delhi based parties from making inroads in the State, even as he asserted that all Delhi based party units obeyed their high command as had been done by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of Punjab who had arraigned themselves against the Kisan Andolan.
The SAD president was here to induct State BJP Executive member and prominent social activist Prof Sumrinder Singh Sira into the SAD. While inducting Prof Sira into the SAD Sukhbir Badal described the former as a grass root leader who was doing yeoman service in the region. He also appointed Prof Sira as Vice President of the party. Prof Sira, while thanking the SAD president on the occasion, said he would work as a true soldier of the SAD.
Speaking at the function held at the Lal Kothi residence of Prof Sumrinder Sira, the SAD president said “the BJP government in Haryana is not letting our farmers go to Delhi to voice your grievances and has even fired bullets at them while sealing the roads to the national capital. I appeal to farmers to also seal the borders of Punjab for all Delhi based parties with their votes”. He said the forthcoming parliamentary election had become a fight between the forces of Delhi and Punjabis, all of whom had suffered at the hands of Delhi based parties.
Badal also gave the example of how Punjab leaders of Delhi based parties like the BJP had taken a stand against the Kisan Andolan two years back. He said now similarly the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab had also taken an anti-farmer stand and allowed the Haryana police to shoot bullets at farmers during the ongoing farmer agitation. “This would have never happened if the SAD had been in power in the State”, he said while appealing to Punjabis to beware of national parties who only wanted to capture parliamentary seats and were least interested in the welfare of Punjab and Punjabis.
The SAD president also took on former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on the occasion. He said Capt Amarinder had failed to establish one big infrastructure project in the State and had even failed to develop his home city- Patiala. “All development projects which you see in Patiala were undertaken during the tenure of SAD governments”, he asserted.
Senior leader N K Sharma while speaking on the occasion, said principles were being given the go by in politics of today. “We are witnessing a four time Congress MP from Patiala asking for votes on behalf of the BJP”. He appealed to the people of Patiala to reject turncoats. Senior leader Surjit Singh Rakhra also spoke on the occasion. Other leaders present included Mr Jaspal Singh Chatha. Later the SAD president also led the Punjab Bachao Yatra in Shutrana constituency where he received an overwhelming response with thousands of people lining up on the roads to meet and greet him. Mr Badal, who was accompanied by senior leader Kabir Das, said people had made up their minds to ensure all Delhi based candidates forfeited their deposits besides committing to extend wholehearted support to the SAD.