Tohra did not commit any sin, says Rode

In an interview here today, Rode, a former jathedar of the Akal Takht, said he had also brought his anguish to the notice of the chief minister during a telephonic conversation with him at his Chandigarh8217;s residence on December 15, a day after five ministers had submitted their resignation.

Asked about Badal8217;s response to his suggestions, made during the course of the conversation, Rode quipped: 8220;It was not positivequot;.

Asked if he also took up the issue of strife in the mainstream Akali party with Tohra, Rode quipped: 8220;I met Tohra at Amritsar on December 16quot;.

Making his inclination towards Tohra clear in the ongoing crisis, Rode, a relative of slain Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, said Tohra did not commit any sin by articulating and voicing the sentiments of the party workers.

He charged Badal with having abandoned the Panthic agenda8217;.

Rode asked why the Badal camp remained silent when a Jalandhar daily launched a tirade against the Akal Takht jathedar.He said those who went all out in their offensive against Tohra, but remained silent during the tirade against the Akal Takht jathedar have harmed the Panthic interests and also undermined the ruling Akali party.

He said instead of serious introspection over the party debacle in the Adampur assembly byelection, Badal8217;s supporters went on the offensive in an attempt to divert the attention of the people from the 8220;weaknesses of the Akali government and partyquot;. However, when Tohra tried to voice these grievances of the party workers he was sought to be 8220;politically marginalisedquot;.

Without demanding a break-up of the ruling Akali-BJP combine, Rode said if the Badal government continued to allegedly betray the Panthic agenda under the influence of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, he would be held responsible for 8220;endangering the Panthic identity of the Sikhs8221;.

8220;Our agenda and that of the Akal Takht jathedar is to save the Sikh identity while Badal is only preoccupied with beautifying Anandpur Sahib,8221; he added.

Meanwhile, Rode said his party8217;s political affairs committee in a meeting held here today, adopted a resolution calling for an end to the war of statements between the Badal and Tohra camps, adding this would only help the Congress.If the ruling Akali party went down in the deepening crisis, it would only bring the Congress back to power in Punjab and Badal alone would be responsible for it, he charged. Rode said his party, which has already held 39-day long action programme in Punjab from August 19 to September 26 last, would announce the next phase of its agitation on the occasion of the 8220;Maghi fair8221; at Muktsar on January 14 next.

He appealed to all Panthic elements in Punjab to take part in the Maghi conference so that the possibility of a third political front in Punjab8217; could be explored to provide an alternative to the people.