Jakhar cautions Akalis against turning Punjab into Kashmir

Sunday, 04/01/2015

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CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar on Saturday cautioned the Shriomani Akali Dal against “turning Punjab into Kashmir” and condemned the state’s ruling party for its deciding to protest near the border check posts on Monday (January 5) over the drugs issue.

He said that these Akali dharnas would only help the ISI ( Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence) and demoralise the Border Security Force (BSF). Jakhar also visited the Sadqi border post in Fazilka to meet the BSF personnel.

“Until now, Kashmir was the only place where misguided elements held demonstrations against the security forces at the behest of Pakistan,” said the Congress leader, taking a dig at the rival Akalis. Former legislators Mohinder Rinwa and Hans Raj Josan accompanied him.

Arguing that it was mockery of democracy that Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also held home portfolio in the state, had given the call for these dharnas, Jakhar said the SAD was pursuing the hidden agenda of triggering a situation similar to kind separatists had created in Kashmir.

“For an entire decade, the Akalis supported the militants killed more than 25,000 people, including the men in uniform, in Punjab,” said the Punjab CLP leader, asking the BJP to check the ally, and advising the Akalis to make noise before the Prime Minister and not the people who “can see through their designs.”

‘PROTESTS ATTEMPT TO DEMORALISE BSF’

FEROZEPUR: At Sadqi outpost in Fazilka 48 hours before the Akali drug awareness programme on the Pakistan border, state leader of opposition Sunil Jakhar applauded the Border Security Force courage in taking on smugglers.

“The Akali protests are a tactic to divert attention from the involvement of their minister and leaders in drug trade,” Jakhar told HT. “It seems as if they have plotted with antinational forces sitting across the border to demoralise the BSF. Instead to of holding rallies at the border and releasing big advertisements, they should give a clarification to Prime Minister Narendera Modi, who had also raised the issue of drug menace in Punjab,” he added.

He said the BJP, which has supported its ally during the no-confidence motion in the last session of the assembly, had proved to be “a partner in crime”. “We’ll not protest against the BSF; rather we’ll applaud their efforts against drug trade,” said SAD Fazilka unit president Ashok Aneja.

“The drug menace increased in the 10 years the Congress had ruled at the Centre. We asked for uniformity in implementing the anti-drug laws and a ban on the farming of intoxicants in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,” Aneja added.