Thursday, 05 December 2024
Thursday, 05 December 2024
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was shot at by a man while he was performing the duty of 'sewadar' outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Wednesday.
The attack was captured on cameras of mediapersons who had gathered outside the Sikh shrine to cover the second day of Badal's penance for "mistakes" committed by the SAD government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
Television footage showed the shooter walking towards Badal, who was sitting in a wheelchair due to a fractured leg, and pulling out a gun from his pocket. A police official in plainclothes standing near Badal intervened and grabbed the attacker's hands. In the melee, a bullet hit the wall behind Badal, who escaped unhurt.
After the assassination attempt, Sukhbir Singh Badal was spotted washing utensils, continuing his 'seva'.
Police identified the shooter as Narain Singh Chaura, a resident of Dera Baba Nanak. After the attack, he was whisked away by security officials.
According to a report in the Times of India, Narain Singh Chaura was a Khalistani terrorist from Chaura village, which is located at the international border with Pakistan. In 1984, he had crossed over to Pakistan and was involved in weapons and explosives smuggling in Punjab. He was arrested on February 28, 2013 from Jalalabad village in Tarn Taran for being associated with proscribed groups such as the Khalistani Liberation Force, Akal Federation and Babbar Khalsa International.
The former deputy chief minister's wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal reached the Golden Temple to meet her husband.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the attack on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal. The chief minister also lauded the promptness of the Punjab Police in nabbing the attacker.
"Punjab Police prevented a major incident from happening today. It is the result of the promptness of the Punjab Police that the conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis has failed," Mann said in a post on X.
"The police achieved great success by arresting the assailant on the spot with their promptness... I strongly condemn the attack on Sukhbir Badal ji. I have issued strict instructions to the police to immediately investigate the incident and submit a report," he added.
Raghbir Singh, the jathedar of Akal Takht—the centre of religious authority among Sikhs—stated that the incident was not an attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal but rather an attack on a Darbar Sahib sewadar who was performing sewa. He urged the government to conduct a thorough investigation into the case.
Harjinder Singh Dhami, the chief of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee—responsible for management of Gurudwaras—condemned an attack on SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was fired at while performing 'sewa' at the entrance of the Golden Temple on Wednesday morning.
Calling the "targeting" of Sukhbir Badal while performing religious service given by the Akal Takht at the holy place "extremely saddening" and "immoral", Dhami said in a statement the violent nature of the assault can also be termed an attack on the religious aura of Sri Harmandar Sahib.
The political blame game started right after the assassination attempt. The BJP, SAD and the Congress criticised the Aam Admi Party (AAP).
Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema, who is also undergoing religious punishment, demanded the resignation of chief minister Bhagwant Mann over the incident and said there is a conspiracy going on to finish the Akali leadership.
"For Punjab, this is a big incident. Where are we taking the state? I want to ask the Punjab chief minister where is Punjab headed. It is a 100 per cent failure of law and order. The chief minister should resign," he told reporters.
"The attacker was nabbed at the spot. I thank the security personnel for acting swiftly," he said. Cheema demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.
"We have been saying conspiracies are going on to finish the Akali leadership. The entire conspiracy needs to be unearthed," he said.
Cheema said if the accused had been roaming around since Tuesday, then what were the police and the administration waiting for? "I want to ask the Punjab DGP too. Someone will have to be held accountable," he said.
BJP leader Manjinder Sirsa criticised the AAP government over the assassination attempt on Sukhbir Singh Badal, stating, "There is no law and order left in Punjab under the AAP government. Gangsters are running Punjab even from behind bars. If a Z+ protectee is not safe, how can ordinary citizens feel secure? The situation in Punjab has deteriorated under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann."
According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the attacker had earlier been booked under more than 10 cases including Explosives Act on May 8, 2010 in Amritsar and is also a wanted criminal in multiple cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Amritsar and Tarn Taran.
Punjab BJP vice President Fatehjung Singh Bajwa criticised the Punjab government for a significant security lapse in the firing incident involving Sukhbir Singh Badal. He identified the attacker, Narain Singh Chaura, as a notorious terrorist from Dera Baba Nanak with a history of involvement during Punjab's terrorism era. “Chaura is a dreaded terrorist who spent a long time in jail. The police claim he was seen roaming the area a day earlier. If they were aware of his presence, how could they leave Sukhbir Singh Badal exposed? This is a massive failure of security,” Bajwa remarked.
He questioned the release of such individuals, stating, “Why was this so-called terrorist released from jail? He is a danger to society, acting as a proxy for Pakistan. Such people belong behind bars.”
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj called it a clear indication of the deteriorating law and order situation under the AAP government in Punjab. “This brazen act at such a sacred site highlights the collapse of the state’s security apparatus,” she said.
Swaraj further criticised chief minister Bhagwant Mann's administration for prioritising political posturing over public safety, accusing the government of diverting resources towards propaganda while neglecting vital security measures. “The AAP government’s failure to maintain law and order is evident, and it is time for them to take responsibility for their shortcomings,” she added.
Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring condemned the firing incident involving Sukhbir Singh Badal, calling it a glaring failure of the Punjab government. “This is absolutely unacceptable and reflects 100% negligence on the part of the government,” he said. “Whoever fired the bullets must face the harshest punishment. I strongly condemn this incident and urge immediate action. The ACP should be suspended, and accountability must be established. How could this happen under the government’s watch?”
He criticised the administration for its complacency, stating, “The government appears to be waiting for a tragedy before labeling it as a lapse. While there may be resentment against Sukhbir Badal among some Sikhs, that cannot justify such an act of violence.”
AAP MP Raghav Chadha stated, " Violence and such attacks have no place in a civil society. By God's grace, Sukhbir Badal remained unscathed and is safe. I also commend the Punjab Police for promptly apprehending the attacker at the spot and ensuring Sukhbir Badal's safety. The Punjab Police is investigating the matter thoroughly, and they will share their findings in due course."
