SAD President Sukhbir Badal Holds Congress and AAP Responsible for Sacrilege Politics in Punjab
In a sharp critique, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has squarely blamed both the previous Congress administration and the current Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for engaging in political maneuvering over the sensitive issue of sacrilege in Punjab. Speaking at a public gathering in Jaito town, Faridkot district, Badal demanded accountability, asking why neither government took stringent action against sacrilege cases during their respective terms.
Questioning the Silence on Sacrilege Incidents
Badal pointedly questioned the absence of self-proclaimed Panth leaders, asking why they failed to visit any of the reported 597 sites where sacrilege incidents occurred in the state over the past decade. He asserted that these leaders deliberately avoided these locations, as their primary goal was to defame the SAD government in 2015 by falsely implicating it in the Bargari sacrilege case under alleged orders from central agencies.
"It was obvious that these leaders did not feel the need to visit any of these sites," Badal emphasized, highlighting what he described as a politically motivated campaign against his party.
AAP's Entry Linked to Rise in Sacrilege Cases
The SAD president reminded Punjabis that incidents of sacrilege began to escalate only after AAP entered the state political arena in 2014. He cited the case of AAP MLA Naresh Yadav, who was convicted in a sacrilege case despite what Badal claimed were concerted efforts by AAP to shield him. According to Badal, senior AAP leaders Harpal Cheema and Harjot Bains were deployed to defend Yadav in court, illustrating the party's alleged complicity.
Criticism of AAP's Educational Claims and Financial Practices
Turning to governance issues, Badal took aim at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for what he called false claims about Punjab achieving top rankings in school education. He challenged Mann to identify even one new school established by his government and explain the lack of new teacher recruitments. Badal accused the AAP administration of merely repainting and rebranding existing schools as "Schools of Eminence" to manipulate data for the National Achievement Survey, a survey Mann had previously dismissed as fake.
Furthermore, Badal alleged a massive financial scam involving government-funded rallies. He claimed that the AAP government not only organized a rally in Moga at state expense but also planned 16,000 similar events across Punjab, costing the exchequer hundreds of crores. Badal accused the government of awarding inflated contracts for tents, chairs, and food, with substantial commissions being funneled back, despite the availability of large sheds for such gatherings.
Call for Independent Probe and Broader Political Critique
Badal urged Punjab's governor to order an independent investigation into these alleged scams, stressing that only such a probe could uncover the full extent of corruption and facilitate the recovery of misappropriated funds from AAP. He also criticized AAP for making exaggerated claims during election campaigns in Gujarat, suggesting a pattern of misleading rhetoric.
In summary, Sukhbir Badal's address highlighted deep-seated concerns over political exploitation of sacrilege, questionable educational achievements, and potential financial irregularities under the AAP regime, calling for transparency and accountability in Punjab's governance.
