Hitting back at former Punjab chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patriarch Parkash Singh Badal for his utterances at a rally in Sangrur on Sunday, former MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura on Tuesday said he (Badal) attempted to blackmail people emotionally.
Addressing the rally in the bastion of Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who, along with his son Parminder Singh, was expelled from the party for “anti-party” activities, Badal had not only targeted Dhindsa Senior but also Brahmpura. Badal said that he used to give due respect to both the leaders and even discussed family matters with them.
“Family matters don’t need to be disclosed on the stage and Badal did it to blackmail the people emotionally. This tactic will not absolve him of his wrongdoings. Should we forget Guru Granth Sahib’s sacrilege during Badal’s regime?” said president of Akali splinter group, Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali), while speaking to HT.
He said, “You (Badal) are saying that we deceived the party. I ask you to recall the times when you made Surjit Singh Barnala-led Punjab government fall by walking away with 24 MLAs. Didn’t you deceive the party at that time?”
“We have not deceived the party, but protested against Sukhbir’s acts which have ruined the party. We stood for principles that were compromised with for vested interests. We kept on convincing Badal that his son was damaging the party, but he did not hear us citing his poor health. How come he is well now to address rally in Sangrur? Except Badal, there is no other example of a SAD president elevating his son as party chief,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“We have not deceived the party, but protested against Sukhbir’s acts which have ruined the party. We stood for principles that were compromised with for vested interests. We kept on convincing Badal that his son was damaging the party, but he did not hear us citing his poor health. How come he is well now to address rally in Sangrur? Except Badal, there is no other example of a SAD president elevating his son as party chief,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Taking serious note of the SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s statement that ‘Taksalis are jaali Akalis’, Brahmpura said, “Akali Dal is Taksali and these people are jaali.”