M A I N   N E W S

SAD, BJP sound war bugle
To target corrupt Cong leaders, policemen
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Majitha (Amritsar), January 7
Kickstarting the election campaign from the Majha region here, leaders at the SAD-BJP rally today vowed to take revenge by preparing a list of corrupt bureaucrats, police officials and Congress leaders. The SAD campaign got off to a rousing start with an impressive rally where anger dominated the proceedings.

Significantly, the loudest applause was reserved for Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, MP and SAD general secretary, who pledged to teach the “perpetrators of repression and vendetta a bloody lesson”.

The aspirant for Akali ticket from Majitha, Mr Bikram Singh Majithia, went to the extent of naming police officials who would be put on the party’s list for, what he described as, crime against innocent people. So much so, Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala, an Akali MP, issued warning of from the stage itself when the police resorted to a mild lathicharge to control the gathering.

Mr Parkash Singh Badal, SAD President, was at his aggressive best while touching the issue of vendetta. Using rustic Punjabi idiom, he said it would be the turn of the SAD to settle scores. He said while SAD leaders and workers were used to slogging it out in prisons, the “easy going” Chief Minister would find it hard to endure it.

The BJP MP, Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, said the days of the Amarinder government were numbered . He said Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal was committed to take “revenge” against all those instrumental in the registration of fabricated cases against the Akalis.

Meanwhile, Mr Badal sought the resignation of Mr N.D. Tiwari, Chief Minister of Uttranchal, for having failed to discharge his constitutional duties as head of the government. Coming heavily on Mr Tiwari, Mr Badal said it was a matter of concern that houses of Sikhs were razed at Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar. “The Chief Minister must own moral, political and constitutional responsibility for this and quit immediately,” he said.

A rally of the SAD-BJP combine would be organised at Kashipur on January 26.

Mr Avtar Singh, SGPC President, also addressed the rally.

Mr Badal announced to open a public school for the poor at a cost of Rs 2 crore at Majitha on behalf of the SGPC.