Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday condemned Sukhpal Singh Khaira for trying to force his way into Rana Gurjit’s factory in Batala and warned that any attempt by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader to take the law in his hands would be dealt with as per law. The Chief Minister lambasted the Leader of the Opposition for indulging in cheap street politics to grab media and public attention ahead of tomorrow’s Shahkot bypoll, saying it was obvious that AAP leaders had not learnt their lessons from their series of ignominious electoral defeats not just in Punjab but across the country. Khaira’s trespass bid amounted to sheer violation of the law, with the potential to trigger violence, said the Chief Minister, adding that neither the state police nor his government could allow anyone to indulge in such criminal actions to promote their vested political interests.
Despite being warned about the serious trouble it could lead to, considering the fact that the move could have provoked the mill workers and staff into retaliation, Khaira did not desist from moving towards the premises, said the Chief Minister, terming it a clear attempt on the AAP leader’s part to divert public attention on the eve of the Shahkot polling.AAP had a history of resorting to theatrics in the run-up to any election, said Captain Amarinder, adding that Khaira’s act had exposed the party’s desperation in the face of their imminent wipe-out in the Shahkot by-election.Khaira had behaved extremely irresponsibly with his shameless act, said the Chief Minister, adding that as leader of the opposition, it was his responsibility to uphold the law and not defy it. Unfortunately, AAP had always promoted a culture of lawlessness which every party leader had emulated and continued to follow, refusing to acknowledge that such acts inevitably backfired on them, said Captain Amarinder.His government, asserted the Chief Minister, was committed to maintaining law and order in the state at all costs, and nobody would be allowed to disturb the peace in the Punjab.