EARLIER this week, India woke up to see happy pictures of Punjab’s Congress chief minister, Amarinder Singh, and Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal standing shoulder to shoulder. The two were resolute in their defence of Punjab’s position on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal, together in refusing to ‘‘deprive’’ Punjab’s farmers of their water. It was almost touching; and it seemed so unreal.After all, Amarinder and Badal are veteran rivals. In the final days of Badal’s chief ministry (1997-2002), Amarinder called Badal corrupt. Badal responded by attacking Amarinder’s ‘‘royal’’ lifestyle, given he’s from Patiala’s former ruling family. When Amarinder came to power in February 2002, he began an ‘‘anti-corruption drive’’. The Akalis saw it as a ‘‘witch hunt’’. Not just Badal, even his wife Surinder Kaur and son Sukhbir were accused of corruption. Nine former Akali ministers were implicated, some of them arrested. With Amarinder declaring he would send Badal to prison, Punjab waited for the inevitable. EIGHT months later, the case is almost forgotten. The next date of hearing is July 23, when the matter of framing of charges against Badal will come up. Today, Badal, Sukhbir and wife Surinder are out on bail. But almost every time an election nears, the Congress promises charges against Badal. Just before the Lok Sabha election, Amarinder announced Badal would be chargesheeted. A day before the SGPC election on July 11, the case came up before a Ropar court. THE run up to the filing of the challan against the Badal family had the state on its toes. In October 2003, all Badal properties were raided, measured and videographed. Pictures of Sukhbir holding his children’s toys indicated the extent to which the vigilance team went. And wherever it went, the Akali shouting brigade turned up too. But the most intriguing case was that of Hardeep Singh Bhamra, Badal’s OSD. Bhamra’s house was raided and he disappeared. His whereabouts are still not known and he has been declared a fugitive. It has been alleged that the Badals helped him escape abroad. Politically the case seems to have generated some sympathy for Badal, reflected in the crowds that greeted him on his release on December 10, 2003. The Akalis also bested the Congress in the Lok Sabha poll. So where does this leave the specific legal cases against Badal? Is the former chief minister guilty or is he not? Is Amarinder framing him or is he not? What’s the bet you’ll never find out?
