AAP trying to ‘cover-up’ conspiracy behind attack on Sukhbir, says SAD

Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema on Monday accused chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of trying to cover up the conspiracy behind the attack on the party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal by a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative by registering a first information report (FIR) which termed the attack as “a sudden one from a member of the ‘sangat’” and claimed that “fire was opened in air”.

SAD spokesperson Cheema, who was in Bathinda’s Talwandi Sabo, where Sukhbir today started a two-day religious punishment, said the FIR was an attempt to weaken the case against the accused Narain Singh Chaura, who was overpowered by the Punjab police personnel guarding the SAD chief.

READ | Sukhbir Singh Badal attacked: ‘Why accused not arrested’, ask Akali leaders

He said that the FIR stated that a fire was ‘opened in the air’ only when security guards were overpowering Chaura.

“It is now clear that the AAP government is part of the conspiracy to finish off the moderate Sikh leadership. The CM is now working overtime to ensure the deep-rooted conspiracy behind the attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal which sought to eliminate the latter does not see the light of day,” Cheema alleged.

A copy of the FIR shared by the Akali leadership with the media stated that a case under 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered.

Rejecting the FIR on the alleged basis of its structure and content, Cheema demanded a court-monitored probe to expose the role of Punjab police officials and the AAP government.

“All the misgivings expressed by senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a series of press conferences are proving true. Majithia had detailed how Superintendent of Police Harpal Singh Randhawa had met and greeted the attacker and even discussed with the latter in the Sri Darbar Sahib complex on December 3.

It was also made clear through CCTV camera footage that the attacker – Narain Singh Chaura had done a complete reconnaissance of the gurdwara complex for three days before attacking Sukhbir Badal on the last day with a semi-automatic 9 mm pistol. To call this attack as a sudden one from a member of the ‘sangat’ is a travesty of justice,” said the party spokesperson.

He also charged the Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar for peddling a conspiracy that the attack may have been managed to evoke sympathy for the SAD head.

“Even though all these claims have been rejected by the public as the video footage of the crime is in the public domain. But the AAP government is now depicting the accused Chaura, who has a record of indulging in anti-national activities, as a member of the ‘sangat’. No member of any ‘sangat’ can commit such a heinous act and this portrayal of the Sikh sangat by the AAP government is condemnable,” added Cheema.

READ | Union minister Ravneet Bittu sparks row with remarks hailing Sukhbir Badal's attacker: ‘Gem of community’

The Akali leader said that the party is working to take legal action to expose this conspiracy of undermining the grave incident and shield the accused caught from the spot with a weapon.

Sukhbir performs ‘sewa’ at Takht Damdama Sahib

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal performed the duty of ‘sewadar’ outside the historic gurdwara at Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo town of Bathinda on Monday.

Former deputy chief minister Badal also listened to ‘kirtan’ and washed dishes in the community kitchen as part of his penance.

The district authorities deployed heavy police personnel at the shrine.

Majithia asks DGP Yadav to take over probe

Chandigarh SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia requested state police chief Gaurav Yadav to transfer the probe into the attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal to himself or DGP Prabodh Kumar on Monday.

In a letter to the police chief, Majithia said DGP Prabodh has probed the Lawrence Bishnoi Interview case and has “shown that he could stand by the truth”.

Additionally, Majithia also demanded the registration of an FIR and arrest of SP Harpal Singh Randhawa and a thorough investigation into the latter’s role in the assassination bid on Sukhbir.

“It has been revealed that the Amritsar police was not only negligent in protecting Sukhbir, but senior police officials seemed to have tacitly connived and colluded with the assailant,” he said.

Majithia said the assailant was allowed multiple access to the Golden Temple on December 3 and 4.

“There is astonishing video-graphic evidence of Chaura being given a clear passage and of him being given signals by police officials present in civil dress,” Majithia added.