"People will decide whether it was or wasn't": Punjab Congress chief on Bikram Majithia's allegations

New Delhi: After Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that attack on former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was an attempt to finish the leadership of Akali Dal, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday said that people will decide whether it was or wasn't plot to finish Akali Dal leadership.
He added that there was nothing personal like that in the situation because the motive and intention of the accused is yet to be known.
"People will tell you whether there is a plot to finish Akali Dal leadership but I think there is nothing personal like that. A man, the individual who did that - who is he, who is he associated with, what institution he is affiliated to...what he had in mind and with what hatred he did that...We have condemned it that this should not happen... Where did this idea of eliminating Akali leaders come from?" Warring said.
An assassination attempt was made on former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where he was performing penance as part of the religious punishments pronounced by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Following this, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia criticised the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the attack on party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, stating that the situation in the state is spiralling out of control.
According to the Punjab Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the attacker, identified as Narain Singh Chaura, was immediately apprehended by the police. Fortunately, Badal was unharmed in the incident.
Addressing a press conference, Majithia questioned why Chaura had not been arrested earlier, particularly given the sensitive nature of the location. He also criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for lapses in police deployment, pointing out that the accused had conducted reconnaissance of the Harmandir Sahib premises on December 3.
"It has come to light that the accused, Narain Singh Chaura, conducted a reconnaissance of Harmandir Sahib on December 3. Why was he not arrested earlier? What kind of police deployment is this? And you are praising the police? What shamelessness is this, Bhagwant Mann?" he said.
Majithia demanded a high court-monitored investigation into the incident. "The situation is out of control. If the police had apprehended the accused two days ago, I would have said things were under control. A high court-monitored probe is needed. If the police knew this man was roaming around, were they waiting for him to shoot?" he questioned.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the attack and ordered a thorough investigation. Speaking to the press, Mann assured the public that such conspiracies would not be tolerated in Punjab.
The Chief Minister informed that 175 police personnel had been deployed in Amritsar and promised strict action against those found guilty.
At the time of the attack, Badal was sitting at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a placard around his neck as part of the 'tankhah' religious punishment pronounced by the Akal Takht for religious misconduct during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister. Declared a 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) in August by the Akal Takht, Badal has been performing 'sewadar' duties at the Golden Temple.
The Akal Takht cited "mistakes" and "certain decisions" made by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its government during Badal's tenure as the basis for the punishment.