Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today accused AAP leaders of "aligning with radical groups" of the state and urged the Centre to probe the party's source of funding.
Sukhbir, who holds the Home portfolio, also claimed that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had "big plans" to destabilise Punjab by targeting "important" leaders before the 2017 Assembly polls, adding that this has been conveyed to the Union Home Minister and the National Security Adviser.
"All radical groups have aligned with the AAP. The government of India should definitely investigate the source of funding of the party," he told reporters here, accusing Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of meeting representatives of these groups regularly.
"Representatives of these groups have regularly been meeting Kejriwal. What could be the purpose behind the Delhi Chief Minister meeting them?" Sukhbir asked.
"Radical leaders like Mohkam Singh are trying their best to use the 2017 election as an opportunity to destabilise peace and harmony that the people of Punjab got after great sacrifices," he alleged, adding that it was "unfortunate" that Kejriwal was "in touch" with such elements.
Expressing concern over recent developments in the state, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president claimed that ISI had plans to target important leaders, besides carrying out acts of sacrilege to disturb the peace and harmony of Punjab.
"ISI has big plans to destabilise Punjab before the polls. They have plans to target important leaders and engineer acts of sacrilege. We have conveyed this to the Union Home Minister and the National Security Adviser a month back," Sukhbir said.
However, he reposed his faith in Punjab police that they would thwart all such attempts.
The Punjab government has been facing opposition flak over several incidents, including attacks on Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja, an RSS volunteer in Ludhiana and the murder of Mata Chand Kaur.
Replying to queries regarding the status of investigations in the Mata Chand Kaur murder case, Bargari incident and the attack on Gagneja, Sukhbir claimed the probe into the Gagneja case was in an "advanced stage" and the culprits would soon be brought to book.
He said Punjab police had cracked all the cases "in no time" but being "sensitive" in nature, the Mata Chand Kaur and Bargari sacrilege cases were taking some time.
Reiterating the commitment of the state government to maintaining peace and harmony, the Deputy Chief Minister said the SAD had a clear stance "against polarisation" and as was the case in all past instances, it will contest the upcoming polls "on the issue of development and success in maintaining peace and communal harmony".
Sukhbir Singh Badal said the SAD will release its
"precise" manifesto within couple of days.
Taking a dig at Manpreet Singh Badal, he said Manpreet had left Akali Dal in protest against subsidies of which he is talking now.
"It was a big mistake by Akali Dal to make Manpreet a Finance Minister," he said. Manpreet is estranged cousin of Sukhbir.
"Manpreet has no financial background. He has just written an essay to pen down manifesto of Congress," Sukhbir said attacking his cousin who is chairman of PCC's election manifesto committee.
"The manifesto is useless and devoid of any new schemes," he added.
Refuting opposition charges of the Badal family's control over sand, liquor and cable and "running a mafia", he claimed the revenue generated through liquor was Rs 5000 crore in Akali regime as against Rs 1400 crore during Congress rule.
"We auction the liquor vends and during Congress regime liquor baron Ponty Chadha used to call the shots," he said.
Touching the sand issue, he said revenue generated through it was Rs 100 crore by the Akali government as against just Rs eight crore during the Congress regime.
"Cable is a private business and the government has nothing to do with it," he said trashing the charges of his political opponents.
When his attention was drawn on assertion by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership to investigate the wealth of the Badal family, he said that they are welcome to do so.
He said that the fight of Akali Dal will be with rebels of the Congress. AAP will not touch the double figure mark, while Congress is no where in the race,.
The SAD-BJP combine will win close to 80 seats out of total 117 assembly constituencies, he claimed.
On attack on his cavalcade at Jalalabad during electioneering on Sunday, he alleged "AAP had instigated the people to do so in frustration."
"We believe in peace and harmony. But that does not mean if some one will provoke us we will sit idle," he said.
Hitting out at his opponent from Jalalabad Bhagwant Mann of AAP, he said Mann only "dream of becoming chief minister."
"There are many CM post claimants in Congress including Partap Singh Bajwa, Navjot Kaur Sidhu and Manpreet," he said taking a jibe at the Congress.
