Clear stance on jathedar’s remark on Khalistan: Mann to Badals, BJP

SANGRUR: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Punjab unit president and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann on Monday said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP must clear their stance on Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh’s statement on Khalistan as a separate state for Sikhs on the 36th anniversary of the Operation Bluestar.

Interacting with mediapersons in Sangrur, Mann said the Badals’ have been directly or indirectly appointing the Akal Takht jathedars and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) heads for years but the issue of Khalistan is usually raised when the Akali Dal is out of power in Punjab.

“It seems that SAD is exerting pressure on the BJP through such statements. When the Badals ruled Punjab for 10 years, no Akal Takht jathedar ever raised the issue of Khalistan. We need to discuss the issues of our farmers, the youth and water. The state has already faced dark days due to political disturbance,” Mann said.

“The BJP should also tell the people whether it will continue its alliance with the SAD over this issue or not. The AAP is a secular party and we oppose demands like Khalistan. How will the Centre, which has already damaged the country’s federal structure, offer Khalistan?” the Sangrur MP questioned.

PUNJAB GOVT HIDING INFO ON COVID PATIENTS

Slamming the ‘Mission Fateh’ against Covid, Mann said the state government is hiding information on cases to project Punjab as virus-free. “There is no proper Covid testing in Punjab. The states like Delhi and Maharashtra are recording more coronavirus patients since they are testing more. The opposition and the media are not being provided proper information on positive patients,” he said.