ROPAR: The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) is apprehensive that the Center might impose President’s Rule in Punjab after the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) election so that the Akali BJP combine may not form a government in the state, as the Congress had already “lost ground’ in Punjab. Addressing an election rally at the old Anaj Mandi here today, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Akali MP and son of Parkash Singh Badal, ‘president of the SAD, said that the Congress was preparing grounds for imposition of President’s rule in the state by promoting and supporting pro militant forces in the current SGPC elections, so that these forces could be used to disturb Jaw and order situation in the state. He was addressing a rally in support of Pritam Singh Sallo Majra, a candidate for the Ropar reserved seat (women).
Criticizing the role of Simranjit Singh Mann, president of SAD (Amritsar) in the current SGPC elections, Sukhbir said that Mann was contesting the SGPC polls after having formed a front with the active support of the Congress, which had always been an untouchable for him, a party that he had always held responsible for the miseries of the Sikh Panth. He said that Mann and the Congress together had hatched a conspiracy against the SAD (B) to prevent it from capturing power at the SGPC and other Sikh bodies.
Sukhbir, issued ‘a warning to the dissidents who were opposing the official candidates in the SGPC elections, saying that even top leaders would not be spared if they worked against the party, as there was no place for antiparty leaders in the SAD. He also appealed to the Sikh not to cast their votes in favor of such candidates, who were ‘e, in the hands of the Congress and the Center. He claimed that only SAD (B) could bring about prosperity and development in the state. Sukhbir opined that the results of the SGPC elections would have a far-reaching impact on the political scenario.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 9, 1996
