Nakodar: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today requested union minister and Punjab BJP Incharge Gajendra Shekhawat not to mislead Punjabis with statements asserting six out of a total of nine Bandi Singhs had been released and that there was no pendency on behalf of the union government while asserting both assertions were false.

Talking to newsmen here, the SAD President also asserted that the union minister had lied while stating that the union government did not have any list of Bandi Singhs except nine which had been referred to by him.

“Shekhawat should know that a list of 22 Sikh detainees was submitted to the Prime minister as well as the Home minister. It is also a fact that the SAD and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have been consistently pursuing the case for release of the 22 detainees. The minister’s statement has hurt the sentiments of Sikhs who are performing daily ‘ardas’ for the release of all Bandi Singhs”.

Asserting that the issue of release of the Sikh detainees should not be politicised, Badal requested Shekhawat to clear the status on Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana’s mercy petition as his death sentence was commuted by the Centre in 2019. He said despite the notification issued on the 550th Parkash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the execution of the same was still pending”.

Speaking further, the SAD president said: “It is extremely disturbing that the release of Bandi Singhs had been stalled with the home ministry giving an adverse report to the Supreme Court which had asked the government to take a final decision on the clemency plea of Bhai Rajoana. Further, if the Tamil Nadu government can recommend the release of convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, why the same cannot be done by the Centre, Delhi state and others to facilitate the release of the Sikh prisoners?”, he asked.

Responding to a query related to Sate’s law and order situation, Badal said that it had totally collapsed. “With state under the rule of gangsters, industry is running away. No new investment is coming. People are reeling under the reign of terror”.

He also mentioned the plight of potato growers, who met him during the visit and lamented that fearing extortion calls the purchasers from other states didn’t turn up this year, resulting in a sharp dip in potato prices. Badal asked chief minister Bhagwant Mann to direct state procurement agencies to buy the potato and cauliflower crops from Doaba farmers and compensate their losses.

The SAD president expressed deep concern over the brutal incidents of Ferozepur, Pasla (Phillaur) and Samana which took place recently. “The barbaric videos of all such crimes are viral on social media, but it failed to move the chief minister who has failed to react and ensure justice in the cases”.

Badal also slammed Bhagwant Mann for surrendering before Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi team. He raised objection over the non-Punjabis’ appointment over key posts including the Chairperson of Punjab School Education Board (PSEB). He also mentioned the top posts in RERA which were given to Kejriwal’s aides from Delhi and also the appointment of private persons from Delhi with all Punjab ministers.

Earlier, while addressing the public gatherings in different villages of Nakodar assembly constituency, Badal urged Punjabis to repose faith in Punjab and Panth’s own party- Shiromani Akali Dal, promising that it would take care of all their requirements and bring the state back on track of growth which was stalled for last sex years.

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