SAD chief Badal attacks Giani Harpreet Singh after his election as president of breakaway faction

Patiala, Aug 11 (PTI) Shortly after former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh was elected as the president of the breakaway Akali faction, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday accused him of defying the Akal Takht's 'hukamnama', which had ordered against setting up of breakaway factions.

"The whole world knows that Harpreet Singh has entered into a conspiracy with anti-Sikh and anti-Punjab central agencies to divide and weaken the Khalsa Panth, Punjab and Akali Dal in league with the disgruntled elements," said Badal.

Harpreet Singh was unanimously elected as the president of the breakaway faction of the Shiromani Akali Dal in a meeting of the delegate session held in Amritsar on Monday.

The Akal Takht-appointed committee held the delegate session of the breakaway group of the SAD at Gurdwara Burj Akali Phoola Singh in Amritsar.

Addressing a 'dharna' against the AAP government's land-pooling scheme, Badal said, "Everybody saw how he tacitly blessed the assassination attempt against me after I had bowed my head before Sri Akal Takht Sahib and owned full responsibility for any wrong done by anyone during the Akali government.

"My total surrender before Sri Akali Takht Sahib had actually defeated their conspiracy. Therefore, these elements colluded with the police to eliminate me physically, and that too when I was performing 'seva' in the holiest of holy shrines of the Sikh religion, Shri Harmandar Sahib. But Akal Purakh had intervened to defeat this plot." Asserting that he did not want to talk about the activities of Harpreet Singh and his local supporters like Prem Singh Chandumajra and Surjit Singh Rakhra, but he was doing so to let Punjabis know the truth, the SAD president said. "Giani Harpreet summoned me as well as the Akali leadership as part of a script with the sole aim of throwing me out of the Panth. A tailor-made complaint was also procured to fulfil this mission," Badal said.

Stating that when the matter came to the notice of the SAD, its leadership decided that when its president was summoned to the Takht, he should not try to give any argument. "It was accordingly decided to take responsibility for any mistake made by the government, party or officer," he said.

Firmly stating that he would stand up to the ideals of the 'Panth' and that such acts would not prevent him from rising to safeguard the Panth and Punjab, Badal said, "The SAD has been formed with the sacrifices of your forefathers and will remain true to its ideals and principles." Taking on the AAP government, Badal said the SAD would not allow even one inch of the 65,000 acres of land slated for acquisition to be acquired by the government. He reiterated that any piece of land forcibly grabbed would be restored to the owners if the SAD formed a government in 2027. PTI CHS MNK MNK