Punjab’s Malwa belt will see two “maha” rallies on Sunday — one by the ruling Congress at the Badals’ stronghold Lambi and the other by the Shiromani Akali Dal at Capt Amarinder Singh’s citadel Patiala. In a bid to outdo each other, the parties have given their all to turn the rallies into a show of strength.
On the same day, the Sukhpal Khaira faction of the Aam Aadmi Party and radical leaders will lead a “Save the Panth” march from Kotkapura to Bargari in Faridkot district to express resentment over the incidents of sacrilege in Punjab.
Faced with dissent, it will not augur well for the Akali Dal if its sulking Taksali leaders, such as Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, choose to skip the Patiala rally. But if the party succeeds in putting up a united show, it will boost the morale of party workers.
Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday met minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa to review arrangements for the rally at Killian Wali in the Lambi constituency, where he is expected to announce the further plan of action against the Akalis regarding the desecration issue. PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar emphasised: “The key agenda is taking the findings of the Ranjit Singh Commission to the home turf of the Badals.”
The commission, set up by the Congress government in April 2017, probed the sacrilege incidents, including those in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and Bargari, and the firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in 2015.
The commission report indicted Parkash Singh Badal, then CM, for the police action in Kotkapura, denting the image of the Akali Dal.
Sounding confident, Akali leaders Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema claimed that “despite Congress efforts to dissuade transporters from lending their buses to us, we will put up a good show on Captain’s turf”.
They said they expected a gathering of over one lakh. They also claimed all Taksali leaders would attend the rally, which would help “foil the Congress plan to spread the perception that people are turning against the Akalis”.
Jagir Kaur, president of the Istri Akali Dal, warned the Punjab Government against creating hurdles in the way of Akali workers, “placing restrictions on their movement to scuttle the Patiala rally”.
