Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today demanded a CBI inquiry into the attack on the cavalcade of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal yesterday at Sangrur even as it demanded registration of appropriate cases against the perpetrators and action against police officers who colluded with the assailants and committed dereliction of duty.
Addressing a joint press conference, senior SAD leaders Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said it was clear from video clips taken on the occasion, that the attack on the SAD president had the blessings of the Congress government and that the entire incident had been planned and executed at the instance of the Congress party.
The Akali leaders said even after the incident, despite the fact that all the culprits had been videographed and could be easily identified; the State police had registered bailable cases against unidentified persons. “The very fact that the State police diluted the charges by refusing to book the assailants under Section 307 (attempt to murder) besides not observing the guidelines of the blue book which is compulsory in all such incidents involving Z plus security proctectees, proves it is working as a wing of the Congress party”.
Stating that the SAD would explore all legal options to ensure appropriate punishment for the culprits as well as police officials who sheltered them and even allowed them to break the security cordon of the SAD President, Mr Grewal, Mr Dhillon and Dr Cheema said the Congress government on its part should immediately entrust the case to the CBI for investigation as the State police could not be expected to give justice in the case. “The CBI alone can unmask the political conspiracy behind the incident and bring the real culprits to book”, they said adding a party delegation would also meet Union home minister Rajnath Singh and apprise him of the incident besides urging for necessary action in the matter”.
The Akali leaders said all police officials who had given a free rein to the handful of propped up protesters to attack the cavalcade should be identified and appropriate action should be taken against them. They said it should also be ascertained how the route plan of a Z plus protectee was leaked to facilitate the attack on his cavalcade.
The SAD leaders also warned the Congress party and the State government that it was establishing a very dangerous precedent by orchestrating attacks on opposition leaders solely out of nervousness and frustration at being unable to stop the people’s movement building up against it failed to fulfill any of the promises made to the people. They said the Congress had become desperate to brow beat the SAD on the eve of the October 7 rally at Patiala after its failure to convince the people to attend its show at Lambi on the same day. “The success of the SAD’s Abohar and Faridkot rallies unnerved the Congress. Now its failure to attract people for its Lambi show despite the use of strong arm tactics by seven ministers camping permanently in Lambi has unhinged the party and it is now taking recourse to violence to intimidate the SAD”.
Stating that the SAD had a long history of standing up to repression, Mr Grewal, Mr Dhillon and Dr Cheema appealed to Punjabis to unite to defeat the nefarious designs of the Congress party which was ready to sacrifice the hard won peace of the State for its petty political ends. “We are confident the people of Punjab will give a befitting reply to the Congress party at Patiala on October 7 and resolve not to allow anyone to destroy peace and communal harmony in the State”, they added.
