SAD leader condemns Sudhar Lehar

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) lambasted Sudhar Lehar leaders for campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana elections. They said Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra had proved the Sudhar Lehar was taking orders from Nagpur by campaigning for the BJP in Jammu.

Addressing mediapersons, senior SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said that Prof Chandumajra sought votes for a BJP candidate and also promised voters he would take up the case of making the BJP leader a minister in case he won the elections. He said, “All this proved that the Sudhar Lehar is nothing but a product of the RSS and BJP. It is clear the Sudhar Lehar has been formed by the BJP on the pattern of similar factions formed in Maharashtra and elsewhere by breaking regional parties.”

Grewal said over six of the prominent leaders of the Sudhar Lehar were now directly working for the RSS and BJP. He said that Prof Chandumajra and Gaganjit Barnala were in Jammu on Friday to campaign for the BJP candidate. He said, “The Rakhra brothers have already made their bonding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi public and the daughter-in-law of Sikander Singh Maluka was the official BJP candidate from Bathinda in the General Election.” He added Bibi Jagir Kaur had contested the elections for the post of president of the SGPC last year with the backing of BJP leader Iqbal Singh Lalpura.

Speaking on another issue, the SAD leader condemned the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government for misusing the Central grant under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. He said the Punjab and Haryana High Court had pulled up the state government for misusing funds meant to be given to private hospitals for treatment of poor and needy for advertising and renovations at official bungalows of ministers and officers. He said the High Court had now directed the state government to file details of misuse of public funds.

Grewal also spoke about the Panchayat elections. He said the elections were being held during paddy harvesting to ensure a minimum number of people voted. He said, “Farmers are busy in harvesting and labour and traders are busy in the mandis. The government is doing this to ensure there is no effective opposition to AAP candidates.”

He said the timing for voting should be changed from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm to 7.00 am to 7.00 pm so that farmers are able to participate without hindrance.