Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday met senior party leader Bikram Singh Majithia at the new jail in Nabha, where the latter is currently lodged. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Badal said that Majithia was in “high spirits” despite his incarceration and asserted that Akali Dal workers would not be intimidated by what he termed the Punjab government’s “high-handedness”.
Badal said the morale of the party leadership and workers remained strong and claimed that no amount of pressure or alleged harassment by the state government would deter the SAD from continuing its political struggle.
The SAD chief also advised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann not to hold meetings with other states on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. He said the Chief Minister should take a firm stand to protect Punjab’s water rights, similar to the position adopted by former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. According to Sukhbir Badal, Punjab should not compromise on its water interests under any circumstances.
Launching a sharp attack on the Mann government over the deteriorating law and order situation, Badal alleged that incidents of gang violence and murders were occurring regularly across the state despite the Home Department being directly under the Chief Minister. He said this reflected the government’s failure to control crime and ensure public safety.
The SAD president also issued a warning to officials, alleging that some officers were registering false cases at the behest of the government. He cautioned that such officers would be held accountable in the future.
