Though the Bharatiya Janata Party decided to join the sadbhawna rally of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday at the eleventh hour, yet it was given its due place as an alliance partner at the rally by the SAD.
Senior BJP officials, including Union minister Vijay Sampla, state BJP president Kamal Sharma and health minister Surjit Kumar Jyani addressed the gathering. Even local party leaders and workers were present in large numbers.
Speaking on the occasion, Sharma attacked former chief minister and Amritsar MP Captain Amarinder Singh for giving baseless statements, which, he said, might prove dangerous for peace and communal harmony in the state.
“Congress is a threat to peace in the state and its leaders are adding fuel to the fire by giving unnecessary statements. Captain Amarinder Singh was talking about discipline, but we know how much indisciplined he is,” Sharma said.
He said, “Earlier, Amarider had criticised Rahul Gandhi, but now he is praising him just to get the top party post.”
Sharma said that recent incidents of desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib had tormented the psyche of every Punjabi irrespective of religion, caste and community.
{{/usCountry}}Sharma said that recent incidents of desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib had tormented the psyche of every Punjabi irrespective of religion, caste and community.
{{/usCountry}}“Sri Guru Granth Sahib is Guru and none could ever tolerate disrespect towards this holy book,” he said. He urged the chief minister to expose the perpetrators who committed this heinous crime against mankind.
“Political personalities behind these incidents have been exposed but the real culprits must be brought to the book,” Sharma said.
Addressing the gathering, Vijay Sampla, Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Vijay Sampla said that the mammoth gathering at the rally would go a long way in strengthening peace, communal harmony, brotherhood and amity in the state.
He said that incidents of sacrilege have not only created resentment amongst the Sikh community but members of all other communities were equally perturbed.