Says vendetta politics never paid dividends as was seen from fate of Channi and Sidhu
Says AAP govt had betrayed Pbis by refusing to implement promises made to them
Baba Bakala (Amritar): Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia today made a fervent appeal for the release of all Sikh detenues including Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, saying the Bandi Singhs also had the right to return to their families as they had completed their jail terms, some even twice over.
The senior leader was talking to newsmen after paying obeisance at the historic gurdwara here during the course of which he thanked the ‘sangat’ for the unflinching support extended to him as well as their countless prayers for his well being. “It is because of these prayers that I have been able to secure bail in a false case which was aimed at destroying my political career”.
Asserting that the country was run as per the constitution and that in a democracy the rule of law prevailed, Mr Bikram Majithia said it was unfortunate that the Sikh detenues were still incarcerated despite having completed the full tenure of their life sentences. “I am confident that our prayers for their early release will also be heard soon”.
Earlier while addressing the congregation at the gurdwara, Mr Majithia asserted that the Bandi Singhs had faced punishment for the action taken by them. “The Bandi Singhs reacted following grave provocations including the attack and desecration of Sri Harmandar Sahib and genocide of Sikhs in 1984. He also gave an account of how Bhai Rajoana had braved all odds and was living a life of piety in the Patiala jail for the last 28 years in an eight by eight feet cell in the ‘phansi chakki’ section of the jail.
Mr Majithia while referring to the vendetta politics practiced by the previous Congress government said such politics never paid dividends. He said former chief minister Charanjit Channi had fled to Canada and was not returning back while former PCC president Navjot Sidhu was serving a prison sentence after being convicted.
When questioned, the three time Majithia legislator and former minister said it was unfortunate that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was impervious about the promises made to the people. “Punjabis were first betrayed by the Congress, now the AAP government is also following in the former’s footsteps and is refusing to implement its promise to give Rs 1,000 per month to all women and regularize contractual employees besides providing jobs to youth. “Even the much touted power concession scheme cannot be accessed by the common man due to the conditionalities involved”.
In answer to another query, Mr Majithia said the AAP government was doing nothing to help the common man who was facing the brunt of inflation. “It has refused to reduce the State VAT on petrol and diesel”. He said sugarcane farmers were not only suffering because their dues were not being paid but also because the State Assured Price (SAP) of sugarcane was less than that of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Mr Majitha while reacting to the CBI raids on Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, said “skeletons are likely to tumble out of cupboards because of the flawed monopolistic Delhi excise policy which was implemented in Punjab also”.
He also thanked the ‘sangat’ of Majithia for standing by him and his family, saying the voters of Majithia had given a huge lead of 26,000 votes to his wife Ganieve Kaur Majithia because they believed in his family and his commitment to the constituency.
