Attack on Sukhbir: SAD calls for NIA probe as blame game erupts

Chandigarh/Amritsar : A political slugfest erupted on Wednesday following an assassination attempt on former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in Amritsar, with the opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticising the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government over the “deteriorating” law and order situation state, while the ruling party called the attack a “conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis”.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accused the AAP government of targeting its critics as the party called for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the matter over the accused’s alleged connections to pro-Khalistan elements.

The accused, Narain Singh Chaura, attempted to shoot the SAD leader from close range, while he was performing sewa outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The attack took place during Sukhbir’s second day of penance for the “mistakes” committed by the SAD and its government from 2007 to 2017. However, the assassination attempt was foiled by police in civvies.

The BJP slammed the Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab over the attack, further saying that it highlighted the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state.

“If a person with Z-category security can be attacked, what safety can a common man expect in Punjab?” asked BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh. “In a sensitive border state like Punjab, where security should be a top priority, Mann has failed the people of Punjab on all fronts.”

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also said the incident took place because of the state government’s negligence. “This should not have happened. I consider firing at Sukhbir Singh Badal 100% negligence of the government,” Warring told news agency ANI. “This shows the condition of law-and-order situation in Punjab.”

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the incident as he ordered police to probe the attack . “I strongly condemn the attack on Sukhbir Badal ji. I have issued strict instructions to the police to immediately investigate the incident and submit a report,” he said.

Mann also lauded the police officers responsible for nabbing the attacker. “Punjab Police prevented a major incident from happening today,” he said in a post on X. “The police achieved great success by arresting the assailant on the spot with their promptness...”

Mann alleged that the attack was a conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis. “It is the result of the promptness of the Punjab Police that the conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis has failed,” he further said.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal echoed Mann’s comments, saying that “very powerful forces” were involved in the alleged conspiracy. “I strongly condemn this incident (attack on Sukhbir Badal) in the harshest terms, but one thing is clear: a massive conspiracy is being orchestrated to defame Punjab and Punjabis, and very powerful forces are involved in this,” he said in the Delhi assembly on Wednesday.

SAD leader Naresh Gujral called for NIA to probe the matter as he accused the attacker of having “Khalistani connections”.

“Today’s attack is an attack by extremists on the moderate forces of Punjab. Sukhbir Badal and Shiromani Akali Dal are moderate forces in Punjab –– among both Sikhs and Punjabis,” Gujral alleged. “As per preliminary reports, the attacker has Khalistani connections.”

“The so-called Khalistanis want to destabilise Punjab somehow,” he said, adding: “We would want an inquiry by NIA and the people and forces involved in this should be revealed and they be interrogated. Only then will there be peace in Punjab.”

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also criticised the government for failing to arrest the accused earlier, despite allegedly conducting a recce of the premises on Tuesday. “It has come to light that the accused, Narain Singh Chaura, conducted a reconnaissance of Harmandir Sahib on December 3. Why was he not arrested earlier?” he said at a press conference. “What kind of police deployment is this? And you are praising the police? What shamelessness is this Bhagwant Mann?

He also accused the Congress and its senior leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa of patronising the attacker, Narayan Singh Chaura.

Randhawa, who is also the Gurdaspur member of Parliament, rejected the allegations and said he has no connection with Chaura. He also demanded “severest of the punishment for unpardonable crime he has committed by firing at Sukhbir Singh Badal while performing sewa at Darbar Sahib”.

“It’s a lapse on the part central and state intelligence agencies as the person who is living on the international border, has a criminal past, was involved in arms smuggling and was out of jail on bail, but was not under the surveillance of security agencies,” added Randhawa. He accepted that Chaura’s brother is a sarpanch of one of the villages that falls in his Lok Sabha constituency but that doesn’t prove his closeness to Chaura.

The SAD rebel group also condemned the attack. Charanjeet Singh Brar, spokesperson of the rebel Akalis, called for an in-depth inquiry into the matter.

Condemning the assassination bid on Sukhbir, AAP’s Punjab president Aman Arora and finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema termed the incident as “highly unfortunate” and reiterated the party and the government’s commitment to maintaining peace and law and order in the state. “This could have been a grave mishap, but thanks to the Punjab Police’s proactive approach and diligence, a major tragedy was averted,” Arora told reporters here.

Regarding the SAD’s demand for further inquiries, including a judicial or CBI investigation, Arora stated that while such demands are their right, there appears to be no ambiguity in this case due to the availability of clear evidence, including video footage and the recovery of the weapon. He added, “The police have arrested the accused, and if any links or conspiracies are uncovered during the investigation, the Punjab Police will ensure strict action against all those involved.”

Cheema also stated that strict action will be taken against all those involved in this incident, and no one will be spared, regardless of who they are.