Congress today accused the SAD government in Punjab of using religious platforms to promote political interests, saying Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was behind the construction of Blue Star memorial inside the Golden Temple complex.
Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa said in a statement that while Badal denied of any involvement in the construction, the SGPC had stated that the decision to construct the memorial was taken with the consent of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and the Chief Minister.
He said that the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) was an extended arm of SAD and Badal was using this platform to promote his political interests.
Bajwa alleged that Badal had always supported separatist forces and Punjab had faced "black decade of terrorism" due to the political ambitions of Badal.
Badal has been playing the radical card once again and is hobnobbing with radical Sikh organisations and leaders, he said.
Congress has time and again demanded the construction of a peace memorial for about 35,000 innocent Punjabis including Hindus, Sikhs and Christians killed by terrorists, but Badal was evasive on building such a memorial, Bajwa said.
Attacking BJP, he said the SAD ally had also betrayed the people of Punjab by maintaining a mysterious silence over construction of Blue Star memorial.
