KAHNUWAN (GURDASPUR): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today demanded a probe into links between Congress minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and separatist outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), saying the minister was related to the Pannu family which headed SFJ.
Talking to newsmen here after addressing a huge rally in favour of Qadian constituency party candidate Guriqbal Singh Mahal, the SAD President said it was strange that even though Jaswinder Singh Multani, a member of the banned radical group SFJ had been arrested in Germany in connection with the Ludhiana bomb blast case, the Congress government had still not started any internal probe of SFJ links with senior Congress leaders, including Tript Bajwa. He demanded an impartial probe into these links to get to the bottom of the conspiracy behind the Ludhiana blast as well as attempts by SFJ to foment trouble in Punjab on the eve of the assembly elections.
Answering a query regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab on January 5, Mr Sukhbir Badal said Punjabis were expecting the PM to do away with injustices done to the State by successive governments at the centre. He said besides announcing transfer of Chandigarh as well as Punjabi speaking areas left out during reorganization of the State in 1966 to Punjab and restoring the riparian rights of the State over its river waters, the PM should also announce waiving off the complete debt of farmers and poor sections of society.
In reply to another query, Mr Badal said ETT teachers were forced to stage a dharna outside the residence of Rahul Gandhi in Delhi because chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi had given them false assurances and was refusing to address their grievances.
“In fact the chief minister is trying to bide over time till the imposition of the code of conduct and giving false assurances to all groups of employees who are agitating for their just rights”.
Speaking on the desertions in the Punjab Congress, Mr Badal said “party leaders have understood that the Congress has lost its base in Punjab and that it is no longer trusted by the people. This is why Congressmen are jumping over each other to jump over the sinking ship”.
The SAD President, while appreciating the party rank and file for the massive gathering in this constituency, said this was testimony to the fact that the people wanted a return to the pro-people and pro-development policies of the SAD led governments. “Moreover people want to elect a party of Punjabis to power and are gearing up to reject outsiders”.
Mr Badal also participated in an impressive road show at Kahnuwan during the course of which he was garlanded profusely besides receiving a rousing welcome from all sections of society.
He also visited the residence of party leader Kamaljit Singh Kaki and assured him that he would be given an important responsibility in the next SAD-BSP government. Mr Kaki promised his complete support for SAD candidate Guriqbal Singh Mahal on the occasion