Chandigarh:- Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leaders Jathedar Iqbal Singh Jhundhaan, Jathedar Santa Singh Umedpur and Sardar Barjinder Singh Brar have termed Harsimrat Kaur Badal's boycott for the vice presidential election as political rhetoric. Jathedar Iqbal Singh Jhundhaan said in a statement that, during the presidential election, Sardar Manpreet Singh Aiyali boycotted on the basis of his morality by going against the decision of the party leadership in the interest of the state and the sect.
How is the Badal group, which at that time called Sardar Aiyali an MLA opposing the party, justifying its boycott today by making the excuse of floods, whereas during the presidential election votes were cast forgetting the interests of Punjab. Was the Badal group right at that time or is it right to boycott today? Jathedar Iqbal Singh Jhundha said that, during the partnership in the central government, the Badal group could neither present the interest of the state politically nor could it promote the sectarian issues related to the central government.
Using the situation in Punjab as an excuse instead of taking a firm stand on both these big issues proves that not making its stand clear on the issues of Panth and Punjab at different times and on different issues shows that the decisions are not policy based. These are decisions taken keeping in mind the changing political equations at different times.
Along with this, Jathedar Santa Singh Umedpur said that, it would have been better if at the time of the election of the Vice President, the Badal faction, instead of using the natural disaster as an excuse, had announced boycott of its vote ideologically, keeping in mind the big issues related to the center and the greater interests of the state. Along with this, he said that, the Badal camp, which is yearning for power, has completely forgotten the issues of Panth and Punjab under the greed for power.
Today, under the greed of re-partnership with BJP, the Badal faction has used the same old weapon of politics, in which one has to choose the path of boycott to move towards the goal of giving political benefits. Sardar Barjinder Singh Brar has called Harsimrat Kaur Badal's boycott a part of opportunistic politics.