Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today sought an unconditional apology from the British Government for secretly assisting the Government of India (GoI) in the dastardly act of Operation Blue Star in 1984. Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan program of Maur assembly segment here today, the Chief Minister said that both the GoI and British Government had jointly perpetrated the heinous crime of attacking the most revered Sikh shrine- Sri Darbar Sahib thereby hurting the religious sentiments of Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular. He said that both the national governments were equally guilty for this unpardonable act and the Sikhs would never forgive them for this sin against humanity. However Mr. Badal said that the British government must tender an unconditional apology for supporting the GoI in this brutal crime in which many innocent people were also killed. Slamming the Congress party for inflicting a deep wound on Sikh psyche, the Chief Minister said that there was hardly any parallel in the entire world history when a national government had sought the help of some foreign nation to attack its own religious shrine. He said that it was totally wrong on the part of the then Congress Government to take support of British government in dealing with the internal matter of the country adding that on its part the British Government also committed a crime by illegally helping the Indian government on this sensitive issue. Seeking resignation from the UPA government on this issue, Mr. Badal said that the successors of the Congress government which had attacked a religious shrine of the country by taking foreign support has no moral right to remain in power.
On being asked about the announcement made by Mr. Gurdas Singh Badal that PPP leader Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal would contest the coming Lok Sabha poll from Bathinda, the Chief Minister said that it would hardly make any difference as the former Finance Minister and his party has been rejected by the voters of the state time and again. He said that Mr. Manpreet has betrayed his mother party due to which the people of state do not trust him anymore. Mr. Badal said that the PPP leader neither has any base amongst the people nor he has any ideology due to which he was running from pillar to post for striking an alliance with either the AAP or Congress party, for his political survival. On another query, the Chief Minister said that the Delhi Chief Minister Mr. Arvind Kejriwal should produce the proof of corruption charges leveled by him against the senior leaders of the country. He said no one becomes corrupt if Mr. Kejriwal puts their name in any list adding that the Delhi Chief Minister must corroborate his claims with the relevant facts. Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that sensing their inevitable defeat in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, the Congress party was desperately making every effort to woo the voters and increasing the number of subsidized LPG cylinders was a part of this strategy. However, he said that the people would not get swayed away with such political gimmickries of the Congress led UPA government and would teach a befitting lesson to them in the coming polls. “The days of UPA at Centre were numbered and even such tantrums will not help the Union government in regaining their lost ground amongst the voters as the people were fed up from their misdeeds” added Mr. Badal.
Earlier addressing the gatherings in Sooch, Bhunder and Karaarwala villages, the Chief Minister said that at present a strong ‘Modi wave’ was blowing across the country to route the corrupt and inefficient Congress led UPA government from the centre. He said that the ‘Modi wave’ was many times stronger than the ‘Janta Wave’ of 1977 and a trailer of it has been witnessed in the recently concluded assembly elections of four states. Mr. Badal said that the fact that former Delhi Chief Minister Mrs. Shiela Dikshit was badly trounced from her seat in Delhi aptly shows the velocity of this wave, which would pave way for the formation of NDA government at the centre. Soliciting the support of people in the coming general elections, the Chief Minister said that these elections were decisive for Punjab as it would either make or mar the prospects of the state. He said that if NDA government was constituted at the centre then it would usher a new era of unprecedented development in the state but the fortunes of state would suffer adversely if things go other way round. Mr. Badal said that the SAD-BJP government has heralded a new era of unprecedented development in the state and to further put the state on high growth trajectory, the formation of NDA government at centre was the need of hour. Lauding the efforts made by Lok Sabha MP Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal for ensuring the overall development of Bathinda Lok Sabha segment, the Chief Minister said that her meticulous planning and commitment for well being of people had helped in ensuring the all round progress of Bathinda. He said that Mrs. Badal had carved a niche for herself by proving her mettle in the public service adding that it was time for the Bathinda residents to repay by re-electing her as their representative in Lok Sabha by a margin double than previous elections. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Deputy Commissioner Mr. KK Yadav and Additional Deputy Commissioner Mrs. Sonali Giri.