Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Amarinder Singh mounts offensive against Badals over sacrilege incidents

These Lok Sabha elections are being considered as a litmus test for Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh who is making repeated claims of routing the Akalis and the Badals at the hustings

Often accused by his political opponents of being inaccessible as chief minister, Capt Amarinder Singh is an ardent election campaigner and taking an extra interest in the social media platforms.

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh during campaign in Zira district Firozepur. (Sanjeev Kumar / HT Photo)

However, the highly-protected politician stays away from mingling with the Congress workers and supporters at his election rallies. Selfies with the CM is not a trend at his rallies.

Amarinder Singh’s aura of being from a royal lineage remains visible at the public events as party leaders and those compering the election rallies repeatedly address him as ‘Maharaja Sa’ab’.

On the stage, only Amarinder gets a special and comfortable chair whereas other leaders during his rallies at Zira and Fazilka towns were seen adjusting with others on seats joined together.

These Lok Sabha elections are being considered as a litmus test for the chief minister who is making repeated claims of routing the Akalis and the Badals at the hustings.

‘Will teach Badal family a lesson’

“I am out to teach the Badal family a lesson of public anger. It’s time to unite and defeat the Akalis, particularly SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal from Ferozepur and Bathinda parliamentary seats. Convince your relatives and friends in these two constituencies to vote against SAD as defeating the Akalis is important for the entire state,” he appeals to the audience at a gathering at Zira, part of the Khadoor Sahib constituency. Jasbir Singh Dimpa is the Congress candidate from Khadoor Sahib.

After addressing a couple of party workers’ meetings in Amritsar on Monday, Capt reached Zira by 12.30 pm, about one-and-a-half hours behind the schedule.

Talking to HT, Amarinder says, “My battle is not just political but as a devout and practicing Sikh, I want to get the Sikh religious bodies freed from the interference of Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal.”

He also criticises the Badals for the sacrilege of holy books of various faiths, particularly Guru Granth Sahib, during the previous Akali regime in the state.

“Badals have mocked important Sikh entities, including the Akal Takht and the SGPC, by dictating terms to suit their political interests. The people of Punjab are seeing all this and they will teach the Akali leadership a lesson,” he adds.

On the dais at Zira, Amarinder takes time to scroll the mobile phone of his media adviser as the event goes live on the Facebook and pictures are being posted.

His speeches are short and full of expressions that attract prompt response from the audience.

As the chief minister flies on a chopper to rush for another rally in Fazilka, a small town located on the India-Pakistan border, he says the campaigning schedule is not too hectic.

“Punjab has 13 parliamentary seats and covering them is not a tiresome job. In assembly polls, campaigning for 117 assembly constituencies was, indeed, a challenging task,” he said.

Talking about his offensive against the Badals, Amarinder said, “Just look how people responded when I mentioned about taking on the Badal family. People in the area are fed up with the activities of the Badal clan and their close aides.”

Alleging that the SAD is threatening voters in the Ferozepur constituency, he said, “Those supporting our candidate Sher Singh Ghubaya, who recently joined the Congress after quitting the SAD, are being intimidated and we will not let this happen,” says the 77-year-old leader with confidence.

“Ghubaya has been nominated by the party high command and we are all duty-bound to work for him. I am sure that all leaders who initially had reservations against Ghubaya’s candidature will contribute fully to ensure the defeat of Sukhbir Badal,” he added.

Capt held a quick backstage meeting with party leaders at Fazilka, before flying for his last rally of the day at Bhucho in favour of party’s Bathinda candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

Before his departure, the CM announces that he is going to Bathinda to give a push to the Congress campaign to defeat Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

An ex-serviceman, Capt makes it a point to respond to every security personnel en route to the helipad saluting him.