Badal should apologise: Capt
Monday, 19/09/2011
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh has condemned the “brutal use of force and the reign of terror” let loose by the ruling Akali Dal against its opponents during the SGPC elections across the state, claiming that by resorting to such desperate tactics the ruling party had virtually conceded defeat. Blaming Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal for the violence, he asked them to tender an unconditional apology to the Sikh community for blemishing the image of the scared institution of the SGPC.
In a statement here today, Capt Amarinder said the reign of terror let loose by the Akalis reminded one of the violence during the panchayat and civic elections four years ago. He said the violence today was a blot on the face of the Akali Dal leadership. “They created such a hype about these elections that at the end of the day they started feeling insecure and, thus, used and abused all resources available ,including the government machinery, particularly the Punjab Police, for the elections.”
Capt Amarinder said, as a devout Sikh, he had seen several SGPC elections, but it was for the first time that violence had occurred.
“These elections were never made a prestige issue as made by the Badals this time”, he pointed out.
“Watching the images of violence and booth-capturing during the SGPC elections, for a while it felt as if one was living in some part of Bihar ”, he said, while regretting, “the elections which were always fought in a cordial, congenial and harmonious atmosphere have now been turned into a blood feud owing to the unbridled ambition of the Badals to grab everything, including the SGPC, for survival”.
