BATHINDA: Finally breaking your silence about the events in Shiromani Akali Dal especially the resignation of his daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Union Council of Ministers and from the party withdrawing support from the NDA, former Prime Minister Parkash Singh Badal has called the use of police force in Akali Workers and leaders including the arrest of party chairman Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Badal in Chandigarh as a black day in the history of democracy.
He also condemned the cane accusation, calling it a repressive use of violent force against peaceful workers, farmers, and party leaders. In a press release issued on Friday, Badal called preventing peaceful protesting workers from entering Chandigarh a degradation of democracy and the fundamental rights of the people.
“The Akali workers relived the great memories of the glorious and historic Akali movements. Facing repression is nothing new for Punjabis in general and Akali workers in particular, most of whom are farmers. No one knows better than Akali workers how to stand up to brutal authoritarianism like the one demonstrated by the Chandigarh police against innocent workers on Thursday night, ”Badal said.
The former chief minister had a note of caution and warning for the governments in office saying: “If those in power think this would break the spirit of the peaceful Akali workers, then they are sadly wrong and have learned nothing from the history. fought the worst form of repression during the Emergency and in 1984. It is sad that some of those who perpetrated acts of violence against peaceful protesters are people for whom we had faced the repression of Indira Gandhi. It is surprising and very regrettable to see how soon people forget it when they pass the fence. ”
Badal further said that he saw nothing wrong with the governor meeting with the leaders of the protesters to receive a memorandum of the farmers’ demands. I don’t see what was wrong even on your visit to meet personally with the peaceful and democratic protesters. If I was there, I would have walked barefoot all the way to meet them. ”
He went on to say that it was a sad day for the image of the country. “This type of repressive and authoritarian response to peaceful democratic activity disfigures the image of our country abroad.”
The use of overbearing methods to stop senior leaders was extremely shocking. Badal said that he will appeal to both the Government of India and the Punjab to address farmers’ problems in a civilized and democratic way.
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