Sukhbir terms rebel leaders ‘political losers’
MUKTSAR: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday termed the rebel veteran Akali leaders “political losers”.
Addressing a gathering of party workers on the occasion of Maghi Mela at a resort in Muktsar, Sukhbir said the party always accorded due respect to the senior leaders. “Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Sewa Singh Sekhwan lost elections repeatedly but the SAD always showed faith in their leadership,” he said, adding it was painful to hear these leaders speaking against Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal.
Former deputy CM said the rebel leaders who have positioned themselves under the SAD (Taksali) umbrella have a singlepoint agenda to damage SAD, which, he said, is the voice of the Sikh panth.
“In the last 30 years, Dhindsa sa’ab could win only one election even as the party always accepted his demand for contesting from a new constituency. But he suffered defeat from his choicest segments. Similarly, Sekhwan failed to win on five different occasions in the assembly elections,” Sukhbir said, adding the electoral politics was the public document on the acceptance (or lack of it) of a leader by the masses.
“(Parkash Singh) Badal sa’ab has a record of not losing an election since 1965. He occupied the office of Punjab CM on five occasions and it was only due to his mass popularity in the state,” he said.
He refuted the charges levelled by the rebel Akalis of upmanship of the Badal clan in the party affairs and those of the SGPC. “Sikhism is the only faith in the world where religious representatives are elected democratically in a transparent manner and these elections are held by the government agencies. It is disturbing to see the leaders who enjoyed public life due to the Akali leadership are now making accusations against the same political command,” he said.
Rubbishing charges levelled by the Congress that Akalis chose to ignore an earlier edict of Akal
Takht of not organising political rallies on Maghi Mela, Sukhbir said it was a social community event.
“SAD has been convening the annual event to remember the sacrifice of 40 Sikh martyrs (chalis mukte). It is in accordance with the Sikh tradition where religion is not separated from political power,” he added.
Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal could not attend the annual event as he was indisposed .
Sukhbir contested the claim of the state government of giving jobs to 10-lakh youths in the past three years. He said the SAD will initiate strict action against officials involved in filing false cases on the directions of the Congress leaders.
Other Akali leaders in their speeches made scathing attack on the political opponents in the Congress and SAD (Taksali).