Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday expressed grave concern over the communal riots in northeast Delhi that claimed 42 lives, saying no one could think such incidents would take place after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Appealing all to maintain communal harmony in the country, he said, "Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians are brothers."
Expressing concern over the riots, he said, "The situation which the country is going through is worrisome because if there is communal discord, there cannot be anything more bad than this."
Hitting out at them, Badal said, "Party is like a mother. One mother is who gives you birth, the other mother is the land which feeds you, while party is that mother in which you get love and respect. Without party, no one can become a chief minister, a minister or get any self-respecting position."
"I want to tell them that they will not gain anything. Their only rant is remove Sukhbir (Badal, who is SAD president). When I was the chief minister and SAD president, I told them (the Taksalis who have now floated separate outfit) that I cannot handle both CM and party president posts. At that time they all told me that Sukhbir should be made SAD chief to which I agreed."