Congress today rejected charges by SAD of fomenting trouble in Punjab and instead sought to blame the Akalis for indulging in a "controlled destabilisation" attempt in the state and trying to "cover up" its own failures to divert public attention.
Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Amarinder Singh also demanded a thorough probe by a Supreme Court judge into the recent incidents of sacrilege and police firing in Punjab.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC office herehere, he also said that Congress had nothing to do with the 'Sarbat Khalsa', a congregation of sikhs in Amritsar, and the two Congress leaders were present there only in their personal and individual capacities.
"It is a controlled destabilisation attempt which has gone out of control," Amarinder said on the happenings in Punjab, squarely "blaming Badals" of trying to "divert public attention" after sensing growing public "disenchantment" against their regime.
"We in Congress do not need any lessons on patriotism and nationalism from someone like Sukhbir Badal, whose father and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal still takes pride in having burnt the copies of the Constitution of India during Khalistan movement," he alleged, while rejecting the charges made by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.
The former chief minister also dared the Akalis to book them for sedition instead of running to Delhi and crying wolf.
"Why don't you book us for sedition if you have proof that we are indulging in anti-national activities," he said, while warning Sukhbir against implicating innocent people, who are expressing their resentment against his government.
Amarinder said people know the truth that Akalis have "lost ground" and if elections are held today they will be wiped out and that is why Sukhbir was running to Delhi to "spread lies".
He also questioned Sukhbir on what was his role as deputy chief minister who held Home portfolio on claims that anti- national resolutions at 'Sarbat Khalsa' were prepared and passed and said its 'hot-headed' organisers wanted to take benefit of the situation.
"Does his responsibility finish at blaming the Congress," he asked, adding, he should own moral responsibility and resign.
"He has tried to justify failure of his own government in what is happening there and blaming it on the 'Sarbat Khalsa'," he said, adding, the presence of large number of people there was an expression of "anger" against government and not for support of Khalistan as being projected by Sukhbir.
Amarinder said they went in their "personal capacities" to seek a solution to recent acts of sacrilege in their areas and that Congress has nothing to do with it. "One of Congress leader present at 'Sarbat Khalsa' has resigned as an MLA and was present out of his religious conviction. The other also was concerned and were there in their personal capacities.
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Amarinder claimed Sukhbir is only betraying his frustration and "congenital obsession" of blaming Congress for their own wrongs.
"It is natural for Sukhbir and his father to feel frustrated that when Rahul Gandhi is hailed and welcomed with open arms across Punjab while going on padyatra, the Badals cannot even dare to venture out lest people thrash them like their ministers," he alleged.
He said the Akalis including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal were "unnerved" over Congress' popularity in the state and had now launched a "malicious and slanderous" campaign against the party and its leaders.
"Their (Badals') frustration is natural," he said, cited reports of Akali ministers being beaten up by public now. Only yesterday, he claimed, minister Sikander Singh Malukha was "slapped" by an elderly angry farmer in his home town.
