Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal opposes extension of NSA against Amritpal Singh

Chandigarh: Opposing the extension of the National Security Act (NSA) imposed against newly-elected Amritpal Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President, Sukhbir Badal, on Thursday lashed out at Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, and accused him of “dancing to Delhi’s tunes on Sikh and Punjab issues.”

“The Punjab government’s records clearly show the decision to extend NSA in this case is Bhagwant Mann’s. His anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh face stands fully expose now,” Badal said in a statement here.

He emphasised that the party “is fully committed to the atmosphere of peace and communal harmony in the state and will continue to lead efforts to preserve it. There can be no progress and prosperity without peace and communal harmony and our party will not flinch from its responsibility.

“At the same time, we are equally firmly opposed to repressive black laws like the NSA and the UAPA that are unacceptable.”

“Going beyond and above his party’s political and ideological differences with Amritpal Singh,” Badal said the decision to extend NSA in this case was a “clear violation of the Constitution and of basic human rights and civil liberties.”

The Akali chief further said, “I have already clarified that our party is guided by the sacred principles taught to us by the great Guru Sahiban and accordingly we oppose repression and injustice even against our opponents.

“SAD goes beyond considerations of political gain or loss while pursuing these principles. “We said it in our manifesto and also in our resolutions that for the party, principles are above politics.”

Badal said differences of ideology with Amritpal Singh apart, “we will oppose repression and injustice against him or against anyone else and we don’t care what political cost we have to pay for this.” (IANS)

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