Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh was again redefining the meaning of anti- national to suit his political interests in the same manner as he had done after visiting the unofficial headquarters of the Khalistan movement at Dixie Gurdwara in Canada in 2005.Reacting to a statement issued by Amarinder Singh yesterday in which the latter said the November 10 congregation was a religious one and not political or anti- national, the SAD president said the gathering was definitely not anti national but all the leaders occupying the stage were. "It is these radical leaders who controlled the stage in league with the Congress party who are responsible for defaming the congregation by announcing a separatist agenda. This was not liked by a large number of people who even left the venue in disgust", he added.
Asserting that Amarinder should correct his definition of anti-national, the SAD president said "is the reading out of messages of leaders of banned terrorist organisations religious as you are claiming? Is the demand for an independent Sikh State a religious demand? Is it religious activity to raise slogans of Khalistan and espouse violence to realise this goal"?
Mr Badal also asked Amarinder to explain what he meant while claiming that Congress leaders had attended the gathering as "Sikhs". He said if this was so why did they become party to seditious resolutions. Why didn't they protest on the spot and walk out?he asked.
The SAD president said contrary to what the Amritsar MP was claiming, the series of events had made the Congress role in organising, supporting and drafting of the resolutions clear. "You cannot run away from this in the same manner in which you tried to confuse Punjabis after visiting the Dixie Gurdwara in Toronto. Then you claimed you had failed to read the Khalistan Zindabad slogans in the Gurdwara. It is best you apologise for the conduct of your party men and throw them out of the party or else people will have no option but to believe that you also supported the secessionists", Mr Badal added.
Speaking about failures and frustration, the akali leader said it was understandable that Amarinder was obsessed with both words. He said the Congress leader was considered the epitome of failure in the Punjab Congress due to the manner in which he had led the party to two successive assembly election routs. "I also understand your present day frustration at failing to grab the post of Punjab Congress president despite grovelling at Rahul Gandhi's feet. You could not have debased yourself more after publicly asserting Rahul was unfit to lead the party", Mr Badal added.