Ravneet Bittu challenges CM Badal for debate

Wednesday, 01/02/2017

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FEROZEPUR: In a press release issued here, Ludhiana Congress member parliament (MP) and party candidate from Jalalabad assembly segment in Fazilka district, Ravneet Singh Bittu, challenged Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to an open debate on the issue of Khalistan and terrorism in the state.

Bittu attended many rallies in the villages surrounding Jalalabad on Tuesday, along with former Congress minister Hans Raj Jossan and youth leader Goldy Kamboj.

He lashed out at Punjab chief minister (CM) Parkash Singh Badal and said that his Khalistani background is matter of record as is the case with Shiromani Akali Dal. He alleged that SAD id the “mother of terrorism” in Punjab.

He said that rather than blaming the Congress, Badal should recall SAD working committee’s resolution, adopted in August, 1980, in which the party hailed politics of killing with reference to the assassination of Nirankari chief Gurbachan Singh. In the resolution it was said that this “killing is a matter of pride.” It was this resolution that provided support to terrorism in the state.

He said that Congress’s record in confronting terrorism is unparalleled, and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and exCM Beant Singh were martyrs in the party’s fight against terrorism.

Bittu said the public memory is not short and the pictures of Badal with terrorists like Gurbachan Singh Manochahal are still making rounds. “Badal had participated in June 1986 conference organised by the radicals in the Golden Temple complex on Operation Bluestar’s anniversary. It was at this function that Manochahal was appointed Akal Takht Jathedar by the radicals,” he said.

On the issue of Khalistan, the Congress MP asserted that Badal had not so far backtracked from the Khalistan memorandum submitted to the United Nations that was signed by him along with leaders including Simranjit Singh Mann.

He said that this is not the only secessionist document signed by him. He described Badal as the most dangerous leader who can use anybody, including terrorists for his vested interests.

“It is strange that Badal is now trying to fool people into believing that terrorism is patronised by the Congress, while the exact opposite is the truth,” said Bittu, adding that Badal as the CM had presented siropa to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale at the time of taking over as the Damdami Taksal chief.