Akalis flay Amarinder over Nov 10 'extremist gathering'

The Shiromani Akali Dal here today condemned state Congress chief Amarinder Singh for "organising and supporting" the November 10 congregation, which it termed as an "extremist gathering".
It was condemnable that the newly appointed Punjab Congress president had admitted his tacit involvement in organising and supporting the congregation organised by extremist elements to push Punjab back into an era of darkness, SAD said.
In a statement here, senior leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said, "by defending the indefensible you have proven that it was at your command that Congress leaders of the Majha region attended and supported the extremist gathering".
He alleged that Amarinder's stand that the leaders attended the congregation as true Sikhs did not hold water. "No true Sikh stands for extremism and anti-nationalism, which was the agenda of the congregation," he said.

By rejecting the demand for action against such Congress leaders who had supported extremist elements, Amarinder had proven that he was ready to sacrifice peace and communal harmony for his petty political interests, Grewal said.
"Punjabis will never forget that you started your new innings in politics by supporting an extremist ideology which has no space in today's society," he added.

Asking Amarinder not to try to issue warnings and threats, Grewal said as "a part time political leader" he could be forgiven for not understanding that Punjabis no longer liked or tolerated such behaviour.
"You threatened to deal with Akalis with sticks during the Assembly election campaign of 2012 but were left holding the short end of the stick. You are destined to meet the same fate again," he added.

Further levelling charges at the former chief minister, the Akali leader alleged that "You encouraged Khalistan protagonists by visiting their headquarters in Dixie in Canada in 2005 but have yet to explain your actions till now. Similarly your core followers have supported Khalistani elements recently but instead of taking any action against them you are supporting them to the hilt. Your guilt is proved beyond doubt.