‘Cong brought terrorism, AAP reviving it’: Parkash Singh Badal’s caution call to voters

On the last day of campaigning, chief minister Parkash Singh Badal read out the political history of Punjab and kept reiterating that voting for the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) “will bring back the dark days of militancy and push the state into crisis”. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron was speaking in Sardulgarh at a rally for SAD candidate Dilraj Singh Bhunder.

“The AAP incites voters to stone-pelting. In future they will ask voters to collect weapons and kill opposition leaders and innocent people. This party has aligned with the hardliners and they share a common agenda of disturbing the hard-earned peace in the state. They will prove to be a disaster,” Badal declared.

He also linked the party to the Maur blasts: “As soon as the Election Commission took over the administration, bomb blasts took place in Maur. If they (AAP) come to power, similar incidents will be reported.”

He also came out with all guns blazing against AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal. “He is a Haryanavi and an alien to our culture and economy. Nobody is willing to elect him as a sarpanch in his native village while he is eyeing power in Punjab.”

He blamed the Congress for “bringing terrorism to Punjab”, and said it’s a party that has done “maximum damage to the politico-religious situation in Punjab”.

“Punjabis were known for valour and courage, due to which we were able to come out of the dark period of a decade of militancy,” he added.

He termed state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh and party leader Navjot Singh Sidhu as turncoats with no political future. “Amarinder switched from the Akali Dal to Congress, later formed his own party, and again got back with Congress. Similarly, Sidhu has also betrayed his original party (BJP) by joining the Congress.”

He also raked up the issue of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, and said Congress leaders had welcomed the then prime minister Indira Gandhi for laying the foundation stonecanal. “Despite the court verdict going against us, we have to ensure that SYL canal is not constructed.”