Chandigarh, July 27
Shocked at the treatment meted out to former Public Works Minister Sucha Singh Langah, the former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha , Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has called a meeting of the Shiromani Akali Dal Legislature Party here on July 29.

The former minister, at present in custody of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in a corruption case, was brought to the Sector 16 General Hospital here this afternoon after he complained of uneasiness and fever.

“He has not been allowed to sleep for the past two days and was being subjected to physical torture,” alleged his counsel, Mr Ranjan Lakhanpal, maintaining that in spite of court orders, he was not allowed to visit his client on Thursday evening. “Yesterday when I visited him, he was in a bad shape,” he said.

Mr Badal said that he was shocked at the way the Vigilance was treating Mr Langah. “The SAD Legislature Party would discuss the situation arising out of this incident and take a decision about the future line of action,” said Mr Badal.

Interestingly, soon after newsmen were informed by his counsel that Sucha Singh Langah has been taken to the Sector 16 General Hospital shortly after midday, he was allegedly whisked away from the hospital when Vigilance Bureau officials were told that Mr Parkash Singh Badal accompanied by some Jathedars were reaching there.

Senior health officials present at the Hospital admitted that “Vigilance people took Sucha Singh Langah away against medical advice after his blood pressure was recorded at 190/120 and he was still undergoing some other tests prescribed by the doctor attending on him”.

On being informed by one of Mr Langah’s relatives around 12.15 in the afternoon that the former minister had been tortured by the police for two consecutive nights, Mr Badal decided to head for the hospital. Accompanied by Dr Cheema, his press secretary, and several Jathedars, Mr Badal arrived at the hospital emergency ward at 1 p.m. A doctor who received the Akali Dal President in the lobby asked him to wait in the office of the Medical Superintendent as, according to him, Mr Langah was undergoing some tests.

However, Mr Badal insisted on being taken straight to Mr Langah. But the time gap allowed the police personnel to whisk the former minister out of the hospital through the back door.

Mr Badal then called for the doctor who had examined Mr Langah who informed him that the former minister had been taken away stealthily. At that point of time, Dr. Rameshwar Chander, Director, Health Services, Chandigarh Administration, came in to explain that they were completely helpless in the matter as those who had escorted Mr Langah into the hospital did not even allow the tests to be completed and hustled the former minister away.

Mr Badal lashed out at the Punjab Government, describing it an ‘uncivilised” regime headed by a Chief Minister who had “neither respect for law nor regard for democratic values.”

“Mr Langah was brought to the hospital in a serious condition and doctors at the hospital recorded his blood pressure at 190/120 mm of Hg. The life of Mr Langah is in danger. I appeal to the judiciary to intervene in the matter and prevent the situation from taking an extremely dangerous turn,” Mr Badal said.

Mr Badal also sounded a warning to officers obeying “illegal and illegitimate” orders of the government to carry out a reign of repression against Akali leaders and workers. “We are keeping a watch on the illegal activities of those trying to please the present government by subjecting Akali workers and sympathisers to inhuman treatment. They will all have to pay for their deeds and the day of reckoning may be sooner than they think,” he warned.

Mr Badal appealed to the media and human rights activists and organisations to focus on the denial of basic human rights and liberties in the state and to raise their voice against the reign of terror prevailing in the state. “Even the right to life is seriously threatened. The situation is truly grave and demands an immediate response. What is happening in Punjab today has made the days of the British Raj and Emergency seem like minor aberrations. This is no longer an issue that should remain limited to the state. This is a challenge to the conscience of the whole nation,” Mr Badal said, adding that he would take up the matter with central leaders.