Cong govt in Punjab resorting to vendetta politics: SAD

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal today accused the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab of resorting to "vendetta politics" against its opponents.
"Akali workers are being targeted and even eliminated by Congress activists and even the police have become an instrument for unleashing vendetta against the SAD activists," he alleged.
"I have already requested Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to restrain his workers from resorting to vendetta politics but it seems my pleas have not had any effect. The SAD will now go to the people and build a movement against these repressive tactics," Sukhbir said.
He said this on the day Amarinder ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of Gurdev Singh (62) during police's anti-drug raid at Tarmala village in Lambi Assembly constituency yesterday.

Sukhbir claimed that it is "shocking" that after a "spate of vendetta incidents," police were used to strike at and "eliminate" the Dalit Akali worker.
"The entire chain of events leading to the death of the Akali worker, Gurdev Singh, made it clear that police were being used to intimidate SAD workers," the former deputy chief minister alleged and asserted that the SAD would not remain a mute spectator to the "brutal repression" being unleashed on the party.
Seeking dismissal from service and registration of murder charges against five members of the police team, Sukhbir said only this would send out a message that the government believes in providing justice to everyone.

He said this step is also essential to send out a message to the Dalit community which is "feeling insecure" after a number of attacks against its community members.