Dismissing as ridiculous the SAD charges against SSP Muktsar Sahib, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday lambasted the Akali leadership for its desperate attempts to divert attention from its impending defeat in the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.In a statement issued here, the Chief Minister said the Akalis were clearly frustrated by its series of electoral defeats, which the latest polls were all set to cap, and was trying to build a case for itself in the face of its imminent trouncing in the same.The SSP had been doing his job, ensuring that the elections went off peacefully, said the Chief Minister, lashing out at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership’s shameless behaviour in targeting the officer. The SAD leadership, which had always sought to undermine the authority of the police and administrative officers in the state, had once again shown that it had no respect for such officials, said the Chief Minister, adding that the police force had finally been freed of the shackles under which it was kept by the erstwhile Akali government.Expressing shock at the baseless charges against the SSP, Captain Amarinder Singh said it was obvious that the SAD leadership, which had never promoted or encouraged honesty among the officers, believed every official to be as corrupt as they themselves were. It was difficult for them to accept the fact that officials, under the Congress government, were working honestly and fearlessly to uphold the state’s law and order, he added.
The Chief Minister rejected outright the SAD demand for the transfer of the SSP over its baseless allegations. The Chief Minister also came down heavily on the SAD leadership for trying to unleash an atmosphere of terror in order to intimidate the people and government officials in the state. Citing videos of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal ordering his supporters to attack and intimidate voters, which had gone widely viral on the social media, Captain Amarinder Singh said the real face of the party and its leadership had been totally exposed.Having clearly learnt no lessons from its series of poll defeats, beginning with last year’s Assembly election, the Akalis still seemed to be holding to the false belief that it could force its way to victory through hooliganism and rowdysm, said the Chief Minister.His government would not allow the Akalis to terrorise the police force or the administration, whose officers and men were working hard to shed their negative image that had been built by the SAD-BJP regime during the 10 years of its misrule, said the Chief Minister.Captain Amarinder Singh strongly condemned Sukhbir for trying to take the law in his hands through such abominable acts, saying such acts were unbecoming of the president of a major political party like the SAD.The Chief Minister lauded the civil and police administration for the smooth conduct of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls in a free, fair and transparent manner. He also expressed confidence that the people of Punjab would give an overwhelming mandate against the goonda culture of SAD.