Tohra digs his heels in; Badal says he’s `over-ambitious’

Badal said that when he was taken ill and went to the United Statesfor treatment, Tohra loyalists spread the word that Tohra would soon become chief minister of the State.

Badal described as unfortunate the SGPC chief’s declaration of a war against his Government, but ruled out any action against him.

Badal cautioned the people of the border state to remain vigilant against those who raised slogans and then backtracked.

The Akali Dal chief described the current religious and political developments as part of a "deep-rooted conspiracy of certain people in cooperation with the Congress".

He said he had information that certain leaders had held secret meetings with Congressmen.

The Chief Minister said he had always held Tohra in high esteem and had one-to-one meetings with him quite often. He had even made him an offer of becoming chief minister. Badal said that each time, Tohra seemed to be satisfied with the talks that they held, but still did not let a single day pass without criticising him.

He said that Tohra’s call to declare war against the Akali Dal was“unfortunate”. Whoever broke away from the Akali Dal faded into oblivion because they did little for the masses, the chief minister said.

Badal announced that he would not be cowed down or browbeaten by any threats. He said it was for the sangat to decide whether they wanted to get back to the old days of bloodshed and violence or keep the peace. He said his party, the Akali Dal, was committed to maintaining peace and communal harmony which would not be allowed to be disturbed at any cost. However, there was a need to be cautious to foil the designs of certain elements who were conspiring to disturb the peace in the State.

He made it clear that there was no need to review the policies and programmes of the Akali Dal chalked out and finalised at the Moga conclave of the Dal. It was on these programmes that the party had won three elections, Badal said.

He said that the Akali Dal would involve all sections of the society in the celebrations of the tercentenary op the Khalsa panth irrespective ofcaste or creed. He listed the achievements of his party during its two-year-rule which it completed today.

Senior Akali leader and chairman of the Akali Dal Disciplinary Action Committee Jagdev Singh Talwandi launched a blistering attack on the SGPC chief who, he said, had been acting as a “super chief minister” and had been interfering in the working of the government too often.

Tohra and four SGPC executive committee members loyal to him went back on yesterday’s decision to resign on the advice of Ranjit Singh in Amritsar to "see how far the panthic government goes in its opposition to the community’s highest temporal seat (Akal Takht)".