Badal cannot provide corruption-free rule, says Tohra

MORINDA, May 27: Ridiculing Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's claim to provide a Maharaja Ranjit Singh-like corruption-free gov...

MORINDA, May 27: Ridiculing Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal8217;s claim to provide a Maharaja Ranjit Singh-like corruption-free governance in the state, expelled Akali Dal leader Gurcharan Singh Tohra today warned that Badal may be dethroned by the Khalsa Panth in case he did not mend his ways.

Addressing supporters at Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj this afternoon, Tohra listed a number of instances of corruption involving the police and the administrative machinery. He criticised Badal for defying the Akal Takht edict by sacked Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh. Reminding Badal of Maharaja Ranjit Singh8217;s defiance to the Akal Takht, he said if the Sikh emperor could be punished by the highest temporal seat, Badal would also meet the same fate.

He alleged that nowhere in the state was the police willing to register a case, unless given money by the complainant. He disclosed that his advise to appoint H.S.Sodhi as the Lok Pal was deliberately turned down by Badal. Because Badal was frightened of Sodhi8217;s honesty, and feared that he might put him in a disadvantageous position.

Reiterating his demand to investigate the root cause of terrorism in Punjab and to unmask political figures believed to behind the disturbances, Tohra accused Badal of scrapping the proposal of Judicial Commission under police pressure. Referring to incidents of police excesses in the past, Tohra said that Badal was influenced by former DGP P.C.Dogra, who advised him not to dig into the past.

He lamented that not a single Congressmen or a senior police officer was tried for graft during previous regimes. Referring to the presence of former Union Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and expelled Congress leader Sharad Pawar at the Khalsa Tercentenary festivities, Tohra said that 8220;it is Badal, who is hobnobbing with the Congress, not me8221;.

He charged Badal with rewarding 8220;corrupt8221; police officers with out-of-turn promotions, and sympathised with a scribe facing police action, allegedly for his writings against influential leaders.

Badal and his supporters have even lied to the Panth, leave aside the voters, Tohra said adding: 8220;Whereas the Akali Dal party constitution says members should get baptized, for years together, Badal and his trusted followers remained 8220;non-amritdhari8221;.

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He said there was no hope for patch-up with Badal now. Referring to the expenditure of Rs. 1.5 crore on the main pandal raised by the ruling Akali Dal at Anandpur during the tercentenary festivities, Tohra alleged that the SGPC is being asked to cough up the amount from the coffers of Gurdwara Keshgarh Sahib. Tohra asked, 8220;Where is the Centre8217;s assistance of Rs 100 crore for the festivities ?8221;.

Earlier, staunch Tohra loyalists including the member of the dissolved Lok Sabha Prem Singh Chandumajra, principal Bharpur Singh, Jasmer Singh Bala, SGPC members 8211; Jagjit Singh Rattangarh and Amrinder Singh reached the venue of the assembly that was called to mobolise supporters for the success of May 30 convention. In a resolution adopted on the occasion, and later read out by Chandumajra, these leaders were unanimous in their acceptance of Bhai Ranjit Singh as 8220;real Akal Takht Jathedar8221;. Although the members wanted Tohra to lead them in the hour of crisis, the latter intervened to scrap this resolution saying: 8220;Bhai Ranjit Singh will chalk out the political programme, let him decide the leadership issue8221;.