CM Mann allowed use of tear gas against Punjab farmers: Sukhbir Badal

Bathinda (Punjab), May 17 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal on Thursday accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of allowing the Centre and the Haryana government to use tear gas shells and shoot rubber bullets at farmers of Punjab to evade arrest in the multi-crore liquor scam.

Addressing public meetings in Bathinda (Rural) and Bhucho assembly segments, he said Mann "knows he can go behind bars like his boss (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal because he has perpetrated the same liquor scam in Punjab as was done in Delhi".

"This is why he is ready to hand over the Punjab government to the BJP by forming an AAP (Punjab) unit by taking it out of the control of the AAP central unit led by Arvind Kejriwal. This will be done in the same manner as the Shiv Sena and the NCP were broken in Maharashtra by the BJP," he alleged.

Asserting that Mann and AAP would have to answer for colluding with the Haryana government and allowing the latter to attack Punjab farmers on Punjab soil, Badal said: "Can you imagine this happening under any SAD government?"

He said this is why he was appealing to Punjabis to snub "Delhi parties" in the forthcoming parliamentary election.

"Only a regional party can safeguard your interests. Delhi-based parties only come to loot you and your resources," he added.

About the development done by SAD in this constituency, Badal said: "You have seen how Bathinda was developed during the two successive terms of the SAD government from 2007 to 2017. During this period, Bathinda became a modern city with an influx of infrastructure and institutions. The SAD government brought in the AIIMS institute to the city, besides a thermal plant, a Central university and an airport. You have witnessed how all civic amenities have fallen into decay and no new project has come to Bathinda in the last seven years of Congress and AAP tenure."

Appealing to people to support his wife and Akali Dal candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal, "who has always raised your voice in Parliament", he said: "This will pave the way for the next SAD government in 2027 and a restart of development in the city."