Amarinder lauds people, police for maintaining law and order during SAD rally

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday praised the state's people and the police for maintaining law and order during a rally of opposition SAD in Faridkot district.

He lauded the people "for not succumbing to the desperate efforts of the Badals to trigger tensions during the rally".

The chief minister alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal's rally, held earlier on Sunday, was aimed at diverting attention from the party's misdeeds and particularly from the "role of Parkash Singh Badal in the sacrilege cases".

Badal was indicted by the Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh Commission, set up by the Congress government to probe the sacrilege incidents, for police action on protesters in Kotkapura.

"Punjab police successfully thwarted any attempts by the Akalis to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of the state," Amarinder Singh said in a statement here.

"Amid intelligence reports that the Akalis would try to create trouble during the rally, the state remained largely peaceful, barring a few minor incidents, which were also quickly controlled by the police," he added.

On Friday, the administration of Faridkot district had denied permission to the SAD to hold its 'Pol Khol' rally, citing apprehension of violence.

The police was apprehensive that violence may erupt at the rally as some radical Sikhs have been protesting at Bargari, about 40 km from the venue.

The SAD had later moved the Punjab and Haryana high court, which granted permission to the party to hold the rally.

Badal declared at the rally that he and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal are ready to sacrifice their lives for defending the cause of peace and communal harmony in the state.

He alleged that the Congress was in collusion with forces which had made Punjab go through a period of turmoil, violence and bloodshed in the past.

Singh said the Punjab police had once again proved itself.

The chief minister also reposed his faith in Advocate General Atul Nanda and said he is a highly competent official.

He ruled out Nanda's resignation over "nonsensical" charges levelled against him by former deputy speaker of Punjab assembly Bir Devinder Singh.

Nanda has been accused of "failing" to defend the state in two important cases in the high court -- against granting permission for the SAD rally and defending Justice Ranjit Singh Commission's report.