Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh today accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal of abdicating their authority.
Referring to Sukhbir's reported statement that the two warring religious preachers, Sant Ranjit Singh Dhadarianwale and Harnam Singh Dhuma, should sort out the issue between themselves, Amarinder said "this amounts to total abdication of authority as it is not a mere dispute between two religious preachers but an issue of law-and-order where 40 rounds of ammunition were fired and one person lost his life."
Referring to the incident of firing at Sant Dhadarianwale's cavalcade recently, the former Chief Minister pointed out, over two dozen people attacked the religious guru, firing 40 rounds and so far, the police are clueless.
"Or, is it because the Badals are trying to protect someone?" he said.
"If warring factions are left to themselves (to sort things out), then what is the role of the state and its Home Minister and Chief Minister," the PCC chief said pointing out that the state was also dealing with gang wars between various criminal groups.
"Should that mean that those gangs should also be allowed to sort out issues among themselves and make the police withdraw and turn Punjab into gang-lands?" he said in a statement here.
Attempts to polarise communities are part of the
Akali functioning, alleged Amarinder, urging the Home minister to dismiss the Badal government to preserve peace in the state.
"Otherwise I believe this issue will escalate and lead to an explosive situation," he warned.
Amarinder also urged the Chief Election Commissioner to take serious note of the situation in Punjab and initiate immediate steps to impose the Code of Conduct and hold free and fair polls under President's Rule.
"It is more than evident that the current situation in Punjab is not conducive to the conduct of free and fair polls in the state. I apprehend that things will degenerate further as the election dates come closer, unless immediate steps are taken to check the worsening trend," he said.
Seeking the CEC's urgent intervention, Amarinder said any delay in this regard will lead to further vitiation of the poll environment.
"The democratic fabric of the state is at stake and only your immediate intervention can help save it for total annihilation," he said.
