CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today announced that as many as 26 lakh persons had enrolled as members of the party even as it declared that the process of election of the district and State delegates would be conducted from April 2 to 6.
A meeting of election Observers of the party, which was presided over by Working President Balwinder Singh Bhundar, expressed complete satisfaction at the manner in which the recruitment drive was conducted. It also decided on posting of Observers to oversee the election of district and State delegates besides honouring the Circle delegates.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, senior leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheena condemned the Aam Aadmi Party government for failing to take appropriate e action in the case of vandalism of a statue of Babasaheb B R Ambedkar in Amritsar on January 26 which he said had emboldened divisive elements and resulted in disfigurement of the protective glass shield of Babasaheb’s statue at Phillaur. “The SAD has been asserting that these acts of vandalism are part of a deep rooted conspiracy to spoil the peace of Punjab. The party condemns such dastardly acts and appeals to Punjabis to maintain peace besides demanding a high level probe into the entire incident”.
Dr Cheema also condemned the withdrawal of senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia’s security cover by the State government in a revengeful exercise.
He said this action had laid bare the government’s conspiracy to create conditions for the physical elimination of the top SAD leadership.
He said the tacticechoed the orchestrated attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal at Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar in the course of which the govt not only facilitated the accused in opening fire but also deliberately filed a weak FIR to ensure the accused’s swift release on bail.
The SAD leader said similarly the death threat issued to party chief spokesman Arshdeep Singh Kler, by a senior official of Punjab Mandi Board remained unresolved despite submission of the full recording of the telephone call to senior State police officials.
Dr Cheema also expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in which the Wakf bill was being presented in parliament without discussions with the larger Muslim community.
He said the Bill proposed increasing the members of Wakf Boards to take them in government control besides even appointed non Muslims as members. “This is not right. Earlier the SAD has also protested against including government nominees in the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib and Sri Patna Sahib committees”.