Singhu lynching barbaric, says Sukhbir

Sukhbir also questioned Punjab CM Channi’s decision to allow BSF to extend its jurisdiction in the state.

Amritsar Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday termed the recent lynching of a Tarn Taran man at the Sindhu border of Delhi as a barbaric act that had no place in a civilised society. He also questioned Punjab chief minister Charanajit Singh Channi’s decision to allow the Border Security Force (BSF) to extend its jurisdiction in the state.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said incidents like the Singhu lynching had no place in a civilised society. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

“Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi should come clean and tell Punjabis why did he acquiesced to extending the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) to cover nearly half of the state during his meeting with union home minister Amit Shah,” Sukhbir told reporters after paying obeisance at Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal.

“Punjabis expect decisive action from you to defeat the conspiracy to establish central rule over Punjab through this decision which is also against the principles of federalism as well as the very ethos of democracy,” he claimed.

He also targeted the Congress party for going in for symbolism alone in appointing a Scheduled Caste leader as the chief minister. “The leader should have intent to work and the Congress should allow him to work,” he added.

Earlier in the day, SAD senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia slammed Navjot Singh Sidhu for his abusive language and unwarranted interference in state government affairs. He said instead of trying to befool people, both Sidhu and the CM needed to focus on how they will fulfil plethora of promises that they their party had made to the people in 2017, as almost all of these remained unmet.