Arrest us if you can, we’re ready, SAD chief dares CM

SAD TOUGHENS ITS STANCE A DAY AFTER THE PUNJAB POLICE LODGED CASES AGAINST 1,500 AKALI LEADERS AND WORKERS FOR PUTTING UP BLOCKADES ON HIGHWAYS

CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal on Sunday said his party cadre and leaders are ready to be arrested in ‘false cases’ registered against them.

“I throw an open challenge before Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to arrest us. We are ready. Nearly 1 lakh party workers are ready to go to jail,” Sukhbir said speaking to mediapersons after a meeting of the party core committee here.

The SAD toughened its stance a day after the Punjab Police registered cases against 1,500 Akali workers, 12 MLAs, three MPs and 15 former ministers, for putting up blockades on the state and national highways across the state over alleged attacks on party workers.

On Friday, the police had registered FIR against Sukhbir, and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia who sat on a dharna on Harike bridge on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday demanding withdrawal of cases against their party leaders.

The blockades left had thousands of commuters and commercial vehicles stranded. Anandpur Sahib MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said the party leaders will not apply for bail even as charges in the cases are bailable offences.

Senior Akali leaders Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Charanjeet Singh Atwal, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Sikandar Singh Maluka and SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal were also present.

“I have asked my party to prepare 10 volunteers each from all Punjab villages who will be ready to take on the government. Most of the happenings on the ground are not in the knowledge of the CM and the DGP and the Congress ML As are directing the SHOs and DSPs to register false cases,” said Sukhbir.

“Our fight against the undemocratic functioning of the Congress government will continue,” he said, referring to the alleged tactics adopted by the ruling party to oust the SAD in the civic body polls.

Sukhbir said the ruling party have not allowed Akali candidates to file nominations for the civic body polls.

He said the party MPs will approach the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in this regard and a delegation of Akali leaders will also meet the governor against the government’s high-handedness.

Sukhbir said the party will also file a petition in the Punjab and Haryana high court with evidence and demand action against the Congress leaders and government officials who “wrongfully registered cases against SAD leaders and workers”.