"Khalistani Links...": Ex-Akali Dal MP, Others Slam Attack On Sukhbir Badal

The attack on Mr Badal took place as he was serving penance ordered by the Akal Takht, the Sikh religious body, for "mistakes" by his party when in power from 2007 to 2017.

New Delhi:

The attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal - a man shot at the ex-Punjab Deputy Chief Minister this morning at Amritsar's Golden Temple - has been slammed across political lines, with Mr Badal's Shiromani Akali Dal, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party uniting to condemn the attempted assassination. 

SAD leader Naresh Gujral led the charge, suggesting "the attack by extremists on Punjab's moderate forces... has Khalistani connections" and also claiming a conspiracy by foreign actors, including Canada, Pakistan, and the United States in a statement underlining the emotions at play all around.

"Today's attack is an attack by extremists on moderate forces in Punjab... among Sikhs and Punjabis. As per preliminary reports, the attacker had Khalistani connections. So-called Khalistanis want to destabilise Punjab somehow. There could also be a conspiracy by Pakistan," he said.

"It is clear that foreign forces... sitting in Canada and America have a hand in this. We want an inquiry by the National Investigation Agency, and people and forces involved should be revealed and interrogated," Mr Gujral told news agency ANI, "Only then can there be peace in Punjab."

Congress, BJP Slam AAP

Congress leaders Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, the party's Punjab unit chief, and Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav have also reacted. Mr Warring said the attack was "very wrong" but seemed more critical of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, holding it "100 per cent" responsible.

"I think this is very wrong. This should not have happened. I consider the firing at Sukhbir Singh Badal (because of) 100 per cent negligence of the government. This shows the condition of law-and-order in Punjab. Whoever fired the bullets should be given strictest punishment," he said.

Mr Warring also demanded action against senior police officials, particularly the Assistant Commissioner. "Immediate action should be taken against him... how did this happen? he asked, accusing the AAP of "waiting for someone to be killed and then say it was a 'lapse'."

The Congress, which is the main opposition, also reacted through the Leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, who called the attack "deeply unfortunate and unequivocally condemnable".

"Such acts of violence have no place in our society. Such incidents undermine the very fabric of our democratic values and societal harmony. The incident is a stark reminder of the need for responsible discourse and vigilance in Punjab," he said.

From the BJP's camp, National Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa condemned the attack and, like the Congress, took the chance to also fling mud at the AAP for failing to maintain law-and-order.

"An attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal in the sacred premises of Sri Harmandir Sahib is not just a security lapse but a grave breach of the sanctity of our religious institutions. AAP government has failed to ensure safety of citizens and uphold dignity of holy places," he said in a video statement on X.

The SP's Mr Yadav said, "It is extremely sad an attempt was made to kill him."

AAP Responds

Answering for the AAP, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha "strongly condemned" the attack.

"Violence and such attacks have no place in a civil society. By God's grace, Sukhbir Badal remained unscathed and is safe. I also thank the police for catching the attacker... Punjab Police is investigating all angles and will keep you informed about whatever comes out in the investigation..." he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also responded.

"Punjab Police prevented a major incident... as a result of their promptness a conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis failed. The police achieved great success by arresting the assailant on the spot. I appreciate their promptness and strongly condemn the attack on Sukhbir Badal," he said on X.

Mr Mann said he had issued "strict instructions" for the cops to investigate and submit a report.

"Alert" Cops Saved Sukhbir Badal

Amritsar Police chief Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the "alertness" of his officers had prevented any loss of life and, in response to questions about security arrangements, insisted that "adequate arrangements... foolproof security arrangements..." had been made.

"The attacker has been caught. An investigation will reveal everything... whether there was a deeper conspiracy...It was an assassination attempt, but he was saved by alert police."

According to sources, the shooter, Narain Singh, has links with Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa and may have planned the 2004 Burail jailbreak, when four men escaped by digging a 94-foot tunnel.

Those four were Babbar Khalsa chief Jagtar Singh Hawara; former Chief Minister Beant Singh's assassins, Paramjit Singh Bheora and Jagtar Singh Tara; and a murder convict Devi Singh.

Sukhbir Badal's Penance

The attack on Mr Badal, 62, took place as the veteran politician was serving penance ordered by the Akal Takht, the Sikh religious body, for "mistakes" by his party when it was in power from 2007 to 2017. He had been asked to serve food, wash dishes, and clean shoes at gurdwaras.

Today was the third day of that penance; Mr Badal was sitting at the gate of the Golden Temple when he was fired upon, at 9 am, by Narain Singh from Gurdaspur district, 75 km from Amritsar.

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