ESMA should be invoked against CM, says Sukhbir Badal at Rakhar Puneya Fair

After a gap of two years, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday organised a political conference at Baba Bakala, a traditional stronghold of the Panthic party.

Addressing the gathering, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act of 1947 (ESMA) should be invoked against chief minister Bhagwant Mann for abandoning Punjab when the state was in the grip of floods to accompany his boss Arvind Kejriwal to poll-bound states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

“The chief minister should apply the same yardsticks he is applying to employees on himself. He should also apply these yardsticks on ministers and legislators who have failed to come to the aid of farmers who were ravaged by floods last month,” Sukhbir said, adding, “The government should hold talks with striking employees and resolve their grievances.”

Badal also spoke at length on how Christians and Muslims have been targeted in Manipur and Nuh in Haryana, respectively. Badal said the drug menace has increased manifold during the AAP government’s tenure in Punjab. “AAP defamed SAD and Bikram Majithia on this issue but synthetic drug consumption is at an all-time high now.”

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also addressed the gathering and highlighted how chief minister Bhagwant Mann has chosen to fly to Mumbai with AAP convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal instead of attending the Rakhar Puneya conference.