General KS Brar questions Shiromani Akali Dal on Bluestar memorial
On a day when Lt Gen K S Brar, who was attacked in London, alleged the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab of supporting extremist groups, party patron and Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, preferred to pass the buck to the Centre. Badal said it is for the Union government to look into any security lapse that led to the attack on Brar.
“To hold the Punjab government responsible for anything that happens anywhere in the world is a wild imagination,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Ropar. On Brar’s remarks that he fears revival of terrorism in Punjab, the Chief Minister said there is complete peace and communal harmony in the state. “In Punjab, we have complete peace and communal harmony and I consider this as the biggest achievement of my life,” Badal said. However, he remained silent on Brar’s statement alleging the state government of supporting extremist groups.
Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Brar, who led the Operation Bluestar to flush out Sikh terrorists holed up in Golden Temple, criticised the Akali Dal-led government on the issue of setting up a memorial for the militants killed in the 1984 operation. “Monument is coming up inside the Golden Temple. You call them (those killed in the Operation Blue Star) martyrs. They are criminals, murderers and terrorists. And you are honouring them? “The top politicians of Akali Dal are attending these functions. Chief Minister is also attending them. The Centre says it is a state subject. If it affects national security and unity, the Centre has to step in and stop it.”
Brar, who returned to India on Wednesday, said, “If you allow these so called pro-Khalistanis to revive terrorism, there will come a stage when we can’t stop them and we will go back to the 1980 era when terrorism was at its peak.” Asked whether he suspected his attackers to be pro-Khalistanis, Brar replied, “The attackers were tall, strongly built and bearded. I cannot imagine why would anyone else stab me. The only people who target me are pro-Khalistanis.”
Brar said that in UK there is a strong presence of pro-Khalistanis “who celebrate Ghalughara (an event to support those killed in Operation Bluestar).” “They take out processions to demand Khalistan. They lend support and money (for separatist cause). They also threaten to kill me,” he said, adding that there is always is a threat perception.
Meanwhile, Badal said it was for the government of India to ensure security of anyone having threat perception. “I am under threat perception, my son (Deputy Chief Minister) Sukhbir also faces threat perception and so are many senior leaders of my party. This perception concerning me is as per government of India reports. I have Z plus security, Sukhbir also has the same. From whom does the threat comes, obviously it is from enemies of peace,” Badal said.
Meanwhile, Badal said it was for the government of India to ensure security of anyone having threat perception. “I am under threat perception, my son (Deputy Chief Minister) Sukhbir also faces threat perception and so are many senior leaders of my party. This perception concerning me is as per government of India reports. I have Z plus security, Sukhbir also has the same. From whom does the threat comes, obviously it is from enemies of peace,” Badal said.
See also: Communal brinkmanship in Punjab
