Patiala, Apr 6 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday called on people to boycott Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, saying those responsible for “beadbi” (sacrilege) of a religious text and “atrocities” against people must be held accountable.
The CM was referring to the 2015 sacrilege incidents and police firing on anti-sacrilege protesters in Faridkot.
“These (Akalis) people bruised the psyche of every common man by allowing the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib during their regime. These traitors can never be forgiven as they are responsible for desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and their hands are soaked with the blood of innocent masses,” Mann said while addressing a gathering here.
“Support to Akali Dal means consent to bring back an era of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib, firing on innocent protesters and atrocities on the common man,” he said.
“Those who have ruined generations of the state and were responsible for sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib deserve no leniency and must be taught a lesson. Social boycott of these leaders is the need of the hour so that they cannot cause any further loss to the state and its people,” he said.
“These people have always mixed politics and religion for their vested interests and have always undermined the authority of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. Jathedars are appointed and ousted as per the whims and fancies of the Akali leadership, delivering a severe blow to their position,” alleged Mann.
The chief minister alleged that Akali Dal leaders were caught stealing electricity at a rally in Muktsar.
“At a function in Sri Muktsar Sahib, the Akali leadership was caught stealing power, and the state government will lodge a case against them. What welfare can be expected from such people who indulge in petty crimes like power theft?” he asked.
SAD leader Kanwarjit Singh rejected Mann’s charge.
Attacking SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Mann said he frequently defames AAP workers because they raise the voice of the people.
“These people became affluent and amassed huge wealth by usurping facilities meant for the common man. The former deputy chief minister has forgotten that the state deteriorated during their long misrule, when the mafia ruled the roost,” he alleged.
Badal is begging people to give his party one chance to serve the state. He has probably forgotten that his party was given a chance five times, the CM said.
“Instead of serving the people, they (SAD) looted the masses and the state, due to which they were shown the door by the people,” he said.
Targeting the previous SAD and Congress governments, Mann said they acted like termites that ruined Punjab after independence, causing it to lag in development.
“They damaged the state economically, socially, politically and even religiously, but Punjab is now back on the right track due to the steps taken by our government,” he said.
“From our stage, we speak about education, health, power, agriculture and other sectors, whereas other parties focus only on grabbing power.
“These opportunist leaders are baffled as people are not responding to them because their agenda is limited to their families rather than the public,” the CM said.
Mann said people elected the AAP due to the incompetence and misrule of the previous governments. PTI COR CHS DIV DIV
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