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Alliance with BSP intact, no patch-up with BJP: Sukhbir Badal
The Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has refuted the reports of his party’s possible alliance with its former ally BJP as ‘speculations’ in the media
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday refuted the reports of his party’s possible alliance with its former ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as ‘speculations’ in the media.
“Our alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is intact. How has this question arisen,” he asked, while talking to the media after meeting the district president of his party.
Sukhbir said the meeting was to draw out a strategy to take on the state government on certain issues which are harming the interest of Punjab and people in the state such as the increase in VAT and surplus water flowing into Rajasthan.
“For me, the party’s interest is the foremost priority and I will not take any decision that harms our party,” he announced.
There was a buzz in the political circles that the BJP and the SAD are trying to renew their alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. SAD severed the ties in September 2020 as a protest against three farm laws (repealed in November 2021). Before 2020, the two parties were in alliance for about 25 years and were in the coalition government in Punjab for three terms —1997, 2007 and 2012. On Wednesday, Sukhbir held a meeting with the party’s top leadership.
Sub-committee formed to take views on UCC
Sukhbir also announced a formation of a sub-committee to take views on the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) into consideration and prepare a case for submission to the law commission. The four-member sub-committee consists of Prem Singh Chandumajra, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Sikandar Singh Maluka and Daljit Singh Cheema. The committee has been tasked to hold discussions with constitutional experts, intellectuals and Sikh community leaders.
Resolution condemns CM
In the meeting, a resolution was passed condemning chief minister Bhagwant Mann for humiliating and ridiculing a Gursikhs’ beard in Vidhan Sabha. The resolution also took note of the disparaging manner in which revered saints of Punjab were addressed in the assembly as well as insults meted out to ‘kirtaniyas (hymn singers)’. It demanded that the CM apologize for insulting the Sikh article of faith besides calling for expunging all the disparaging remarks from the Vidhan Sabha proceedings/ records.
On the second day of the two-day session, which began on June 19, Mann took a jibe at the SAD president referring to his beard and also said that kirtaniyas in the Golden Temple bow when Sukhbir enters the shrine. The Vidhan Sabha then passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 for the free-to-air telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple. The bill is awaiting ascent from the governor. The meeting rejected the amendment Bill and said it was a direct interference in Sikh religious affairs.
In the meeting, Sukhbir also unveiled a mass contact programme under which all halqa in-charges will visit all the villages in their constituencies. “The AAP government has betrayed all sections of society. We must reach out to the people and assure them that we will fight for their rights and force this corrupt government and puppet chief minister Bhagwant Mann to implement all promises made to them,” Sukhbir said while addressing the party leaders.
Meanwhile, Youth Akali Dal (YAD) president Sarabjeet Singh Jhinjher has been asked to visit all the constituencies in the state to organise the youth wing.
