Jakhar hits out at SGPC chief for participating in SAD dharna

Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar today alleged that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is trying to "take control" of the SAD which was facing "leadership bankruptcy".
Criticising SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar's decision to take part in the SAD's dharna yesterday, he said, "It is evident that having realised the Badals' failure to provide leadership to the SAD, the SGPC chief decided to throw his hat in the political arena and take over the party's leadership."
"Badungar was clearly trying to grab SAD leadership," Jakhar said.
He said earlier, religious leaders like Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Jagdev Singh Talwandi had their eyes on SAD leadership. Those leaders and now Badungar, had crossed the thin line between religion and politics.

Badungar, by participating in the SAD dharnas, has posed a direct challenge to Sukhbir Singh Badal's leadership in the SAD, which virtually "collapsed" in the wake of the party's dismal performance in the recent Assembly elections, Jakhar said.
The Punjab Congress chief also warned against mixing of religion and politics, saying it could have a "devastating effect" on peace and stability in the state.

Reiterating that the Congress government in Punjab is committed to providing loan waiver for the farmers, he said the government will bring a new scheme for the farmers in the upcoming budget session of the Assembly.

Speaking to reporters in Jalandhar, Jakhar said, "On one hand the SAD-BJP alliance are holding dharnas against the Punjab government while on the other hand Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is making statement against the farm loan waivers."
"They should hold dharnas against Jaitley who is talking against the idea of farm loan waivers," he said.