Sacrilege cases in Punjab: Sukhbir dares Mann to initiate legal action

Addressing a rally in Mansa’s Budhlada, Sukhbir charged the AAP leadership with defaming the Badal family by making frivolous allegations about the sacrilege of holy scriptures

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday challenged Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to initiate legal action against him in sacrilege cases.

Sukhbir claimed that various political parties had been working to weaken the SAD and control the religious institutions of Sikhs. (HT file)

Addressing a rally in Mansa’s Budhlada, Sukhbir charged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership with defaming the Badal family by making frivolous allegations about the sacrilege of holy scriptures.

“AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann have been levelling charges of sacrilege against us for nearly a decade. AAP is in power in Punjab and I challenge him to take legal action against me on the charge,” said Sukhbir.

He claimed that various political parties had been working to weaken the SAD and control the religious institutions of Sikhs.

“SAD is a traditional guardian of Punjab and Punjabis. Baseless charges were levelled against the SAD leadership to make it politically irrelevant. Time has come to get together and give a befitting electoral reply to the opponents,” said Sukhbir.

He accused the AAP government of indifference toward the agrarian community that had faced huge losses due to recent rains.

“I have called a meeting of the SAD leadership from all districts in Chandigarh on Wednesday, where we will finalise a plan to provide relief to farmers whose rabi crop was ravaged due to hailstorm and rains in the last few days,” he added.