Punjab ministers slam Sukhbir for reducing SAD to his personal fiefdom

Amid alleged disenchantment with Sukhbir Singh Badal's leadership within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), several Punjab Cabinet Ministers on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the party, which, they said, has clearly been reduced to the personal fiefdom of the Badals.

The ministers -- Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa (Rural Development and Panchayats), Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria (Housing and Urban Development) and Gurpreet Singh Kangar (Revenue) -- in a statement reacted sharply to Sukhbir's wife and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's increasing interference in the SAD's affairs.

"It is ironical," said the ministers in a hard-hitting statement issued here, adding that the very Akalis, who had historically fought to free the gurdwaras from the hereditary control of the 'mahants' were now being led by a similar hereditary command structure under the Badals.

"What is the difference between the heredity promoted by those mahants/udasis in British India and the Badals, who were openly and brazenly nurturing a similar culture to ensure that the control of the SAD remains with the family?" they asked.

The SAD was in a complete disarray, particularly post-Prakash Singh Badal era, they said, pointing to the rebellion by Dhindsa father-son duo, who had already been suspended from the party.

It may be recalled that MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and his son Parminder were suspended from SAD on Saturday after the core committee meeting that was attended by Harsimrat.

"If senior leaders of the party are so unhappy with the leadership and loss of ideology, one can only imagine how dissatisfied the ordinary workers would be," they said.