Sukhbir Singh Badal is the chief ministerial face of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab elections, 94-year-old Parkash Singh Badal told CNN-News18 in an exclusive interview, adding that there was no question of the SAD going back to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as the “SAD believes in certain principles”.
CNN-News18 travelled to Badal village in Lambi to meet the Badal father-son duo at their residence, as Parkash Singh Badal, a five-time CM, has again entered the election race from Lambi. “There is clarity on the CM face – it will be Sukhbir Singh Badal. Not like the CM (Charanjit Singh Channi) who is fighting on one side and his brother on the other,” the senior Badal said in an exclusive interview.
His party withdrew support to the BJP over the issue of the farm laws, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in touch with him and also called him after he contracted Covid-19 last week.
“We are a party of principles. Personal connection is one thing, and principles are another. Our personal connections (Badal and Modi) may be good, but when it comes to Punjab, our people are our priority. This is why there is no question of going back to the BJP. We are not anyone’s enemies, but our politics is based on principles,” Badal said.
He added that he was fine even at 94 and so is contesting. “I got Covid, so there is some weakness,” he told CNN-News18, as he implored party workers at his residence to carry on campaigning in the villages of Lambi, as he took rest for a day.
Badal has been unassailable in Lambi. In the last elections, even Captain Amarinder Singh contested from Lambi, but lost.
Ask him about the Congress and Badal is quick to attack. “The Congress has a very bad history. Taking their name is also like a sin and crime in Punjab. They attacked the Golden Temple, caused the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, they snatched our capital and Punjabi-speaking areas. This was major injustice. If you are with the Congress, you think whatever happened at the Golden Temple or in 1984 was right. They (Congress) are your enemies, they don’t love or respect you,” said Badal, pointing to the crowd gathered at his residence.
“We fought the battle of Emergency and we fought for Punjab’s issues. Nobody has even thought of the level of development we brought about on ground after forming the government. We successfully fulfilled our responsibility as a party and government,” Badal told CNN-News18.
Recounting his days as the CM and invoking the party’s alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Badal said he was the “Mukhya Sevadaar’ and that the Khalsa Panth and Dalit Brotherhood have an “old connection”. “The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a new entrant, their leaders would not even know how many districts Punjab has. They have never raised any slogan in favour of Punjab. They want thermal plants in Punjab shut, saying smoke comes to Delhi. They want to jail farmers who burn stubble in Punjab,” Badal said.
The Badals’ residence at Badal village in Lambi. (News18)
He also pointed out how under the BJP’s rule, 700 farmers died due to the farm laws. “Harsimrat Kaur resigned in the biggest sacrifice on grounds of principle. Only two people voted against those laws in Parliament – Harsimrat and Sukhbir,” Badal said.
Taking on Captain Amarinder Singh, Badal said the former CM took a wrong vow of Gutka Sahib in Talwandi Sabo in front of Guru Granth Sahib, saying he would waive loans and finish drug trade. “Nothing of that sort happened. As the CM, I launched the Shagan scheme and Aaaa-Dal scheme for people. I have roamed in these villages for the past 70 years,” Parkash Badal argued.
Locals in Lambi are sure of Parkash Singh Badal’s win. “He has worked a lot for the villages in the area. He keeps visiting the villages and is with us in times of happiness and sorrow,” a group of villagers in Lambi told CNN-News18.
Meanwhile, Sukhbir Singh Badal urges party workers to ensure senior Badal’s win from Lambi. “We are going into this election based on our past performance. People know what we have done and built.”
As we start to leave, Parkash Singh Badal has the last word: “Some have come to Lambi yesterday, others a few days ago, and some have run away. I have always been here and won from here.”
The police fired tear gas shells and water cannon and declared an immediate curfew in Colombo
New Delhi:
Hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on Monday. A ruling party MP was killed in the clashes, many were hospitalised.
Here are the 5 points in this big story:
Mr Rajapaksa, 76, had sent his letter of resignation to his younger brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, clearing the way for a “new unity government”.
The biggest clashes since the economic crisis hit the island nation started this morning when supporters of the Rajapaksa family went on the rampage.
Protesters set fire to the official residences of Sri Lanka’s Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando and the MPs Sanath Nishantha, Ramesh Pathirana, and Nimal Lanza.
The police fired tear gas shells and water cannon and declared an immediate curfew in Colombo, which was later widened to span the country of 22 millon people. Dozens of buses used by Rajapaksa loyalists to travel to Colombo earlier in the day were torched or damaged across the country.
The island nation is experiencing acute shortages of food, fuel and other essentials, a crisis that has inflicted widespread misery and triggered weeks of mass demonstrations.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “I won’t criticise you blindly”.
New Delhi:
Congress’s Rahul Gandhi said today that he will desist from “blind criticism” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the largest single-day drop in the value of rupee. Deviating from the party line, he pointed out the pluses of the situation. “Focus on managing our economy, not media headlines,” was his parting shot.
The rupee weakened to an all-time low today, trading beyond 77.40 against the dollar.
The drop indicated a further slimming of the country’s forex reserves, which stood at $597.728 billion on Friday after a $2.695 billion drop. This was the eighth straight week of decline since Russia attacked Ukraine in February.
In the evening, Mr Gandhi tweeted:
Modi ji, you used to criticise Manmohan ji when ₹ fell.
Now ₹ is at its lowest ever value. But I won’t criticise you blindly.
A falling ₹ is good for exports provided we support exporters with capital and help create jobs.
Focus on managing our economy, not media headlines.
The Congress has already slammed what they called the rupee reaching the ICU (intensive Care Unit).
Tweeting a clip of PM Modi’s remarks on the rupee when he was the Gujarat Chief Minister, the Congress tweeted: “Rupee hits ALL-TIME LOW, trading beyond 77.20 per dollar! As gloom & dismay engulfs the nation, former CM of Gujarat hits out strongly at the Prime Minister & his govt. Listen in:”
Rupee hits ALL-TIME LOW, trading beyond 77.20 per dollar!
As gloom & dismay engulfs the nation, former CM of Gujarat hits out strongly at the Prime Minister & his govt.
Insisting that such a thing has never happened in the 75 years since Independence, Congress’s Randeep Surjewala said: “Indian rupee is in ICU (intensive care unit) under PM Modi’s government… Life has become unbearable and expensive, whether it is petrol, diesel, cooking gas, CNG, PNG, or eatables. Everything has gone beyond the reach of common people”.
Ahead of the 2014 elections, PM Modi had consistently criticised the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh regarding the country’s economy.
At a function in Mehsana in August 2013, he said, “There was a time when Indian rupee was making lots of noise. But today it has lost its voice. And similarly we are unable to hear the voice of our Prime Minister. Both have turned mute”.
There will be tremendous all-round development of Bodoland region, said Amit Shah
Guwahati:
Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to all-round development of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam with both the Centre and the state government fulfilling 90 per cent of the Bodo Accord clauses.
The BDR comprises Bodo community districts of the north-eastern states.
The central government in January 2020 signed an agreement – Bodo Peace Accord – with insurgent group National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) providing political and economic bonanza.
Amit Shah said seven years ago the BJP had promised to drive out insurgency from Assam and the home ministry under the guidance of the prime minister have brought most militant outfits to sign peace accords with 9,000 militants having surrendered so far.
Since Independence, said Mr Shah, this is the first time that a bodo community person, Biswajit Daimary, is the speaker of Assam.
After bringing peace to Bodoland the government will now try to create job for the youths of Bodoland, said Mr Shah.
There will be tremendous all-round development of Bodoland region and also political empowerment of the region, he added.
Speaking after the ground-breaking ceremony for a Central Workshop and Stores for the Central Armed Paramilitary Force and launch of a centre for Khadi and Village Industries in Tamulpur, Mr Shah said that both are examples of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and will provide employment opportunities to youths.
The Home Minister, who is on a two-day visit to the state, had also visited the Mankachar border outpost along the Assam-Bangladesh border and reviewed the prevailing security situation with senior BSF officials.
Earlier today, Mr Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also offered prayers at Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati.
