Amarinder calls Harsimrat's tweet on Jodhpur detainees 'shameful'

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today termed Akali leader and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's tweet on compensation to the Jodhpur detainees as "shameful and ridiculous".

Reacting to Harsimrat's allegation that he was sitting on Punjab's share of the compensation awarded to the detainees by the district court, Amritsar, Singh termed it a "panic reaction".

It was obviously a "panic reaction" on the part of Harsimrat Badal to the announcement that the Punjab government was ready to pay the full amount if the Centre did not want to come to the rescue of the detainees, said Singh in a statement here.

He wondered why the Akalis failed to do anything for the detainees during the 10 years of their rule and why Harsimrat failed to take up the issue with the Centre despite being a part of the Union Cabinet for last four years.

"They (SAD-BJP) failed to do anything for these detainees in the 10 years of their Punjab rule and Harsimrat was now shedding crocodile tears for them," said Amarinder, condemning her "blatant bid to leverage the issue to seize political advantage", possibly with an eye on next year's Lok Sabha poll.

Had the Akalis been serious about the rights of the Sikh community, whose custodians they claim to be, the issue would not have lingered on all these years, Singh said.

Harsimrat in her tweet today said, "Thanks @rajnathsingh ji for your prompt response to our request for compensation to Jodhpur detainees.A long pending demand will finally bring some relief.Capt.