Shaheed Sukhdev’s nephew and Peoples Party of Punjab’s (PPP) founder member and General Secretary Mr. Bharat Bhushan Thapar today left the party and joined Shiromani akali dal in the presence of party President Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal. He said that PPP has never followed the ideology of Martyrs and its president Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal had misled the martyrs’ families for his narrow political interests.
In a meeting organised by Mr. Charanjit Singh Brar, Advisor to President SAD, Mr. Bharat Bhushan Thapar along with PPP’s General Secretary Mr. Harjiwanpal Singh Gill, Secretary and Spokesman Mr. Arunjot Singh Sodhi and hundreds of their supporters joined Shiromani Akali Dal expressing their confidence in the development and pro people policies of Mr. Badal. Meantime, Shiromani Akali Dal Longowal’ Women Wing president for Punjab & Chandigarh Mrs. Gurdeep Kaur Brar also quit the party and joined Shiromani Akali Dal. It may be added that Mr. Thapar and Mr. Sodhi were the founder members of PPP.During this meeting, Mr. Bharat Bhushan Thapar put his demand of developing Shaheed Sukhdev’s home as a memorial. He said that Shaheed Sukhdev’s family had never asked for pension or any other benefit from government and their only demand was to establish the memorial of the great martyr Shaheed Sukhdev. Mr. Thapar said that he was never a politician and he joined Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal to form PPP as later had promised to upkeep the dreams of martyrs. He further added, “Experience is the best teacher. Manpreet was talking aloud the ideologies that influence people a lot, but in reality he was misleading everyone to fulfil his own political dreams. I tried my best to discuss a number of issues of public interest with him but what to talk about having discussion he didn’t had time even to attend the telephone calls of his party members.” Mr. Harjiwanpal Singh Gill and Mr. Arunjot Singh Sodhi also expressed similar views and promised SAD President that from very today they have devoted all their services for the betterment of Shiromani Akali Dal.
Welcoming Mr. Thapar, Mr. Gill, Mr. Sodhi and their supporters into party folds, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal offered them saropas and assured to give them due respect in the party. Mr. Badal felt deeply touched to Mr. Thapar’s demand and promised that he would ensure that Shaheed Sukhdev’s home to be developed as memorial. He said that Shiromani Akali Dal is the party of martyrs and it has always worked for the betterment of the Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabis. Mr. Badal said that he believed that overall development could be ensured only by bringing its benefits to common people. He said that keeping all this in mind the prime motive of the SAD-BJP government was to develop education, Health and basic infrastructure besides increasing the power production to make the state a power surplus state.