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Manpreet Badal in soup over Anna ad
Drawing a parallel with activist Anna Hazare and his anti-corruption campaign has landed former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal in a political controversy.
Drawing a parallel with activist Anna Hazare and his anti-corruption campaign has landed former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal in a political controversy.
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal on Sunday sent a complaint to the Election Commission (EC), saying that action be taken against Manpreet Badal for misleading people through an advertisement in a vernacular newspaper.
In the advertisement, a parallel has been drawn between Anna Hazare and Manpreet Badal, saying that their paths and ideology is the same.
Akali Dal secretary Daljit Singh Cheema sought action against Badal for "false and misleading advertisements".
He termed the advertisements a "corrupt and unethical move".
"In this paid news, he has equated himself with the social activist Anna Hazare. The sole purpose of the paid news advertisement is to create confusion among the public and make an impression that media has started equating the leader with the Anna Hazare," Cheema said.
The Akali leader accused Badal of working in tandem with the corruption-ridden Congress government. He said that Badal had never uttered a word against the rampant Congress corruption.
Manpreet Badal had left the Akali Dal last year following differences with his uncle and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and cousin and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal over governance issues.
