Sukhbir Badal detained on way to Mohali court in support of Bikram Singh Majithia; Punjab minister Aman Arora says ‘Akali Dal has become Khali Dal'
Shiromani Akali Dal
(SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal was detained by Mohali Police on Wednesday while attempting to march towards the district court complex in support of party leader
Bikram Singh Majithia
, who is under investigation in a disproportionate assets case.
Badal was stopped and taken into custody outside Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib in Mohali, along with hundreds of Akali supporters. His detention led to a heated exchange with senior police officials, including SP- and DSP-rank officers.
The detained leaders and supporters were taken to the Phase 11 police station and instructed to remain there until the vigilance bureau completed Majithia's production procedure in court.
Another senior SAD leader, Alwinder Pal Singh Pakhoke, and his associates were taken to the Singh Bhagwantpur police station.
Across the state, several Akali leaders and workers attempting to converge on Mohali in solidarity with Majithia were also detained by local police as a preventive measure to thwart the protest.
Speaking after his detention, Badal said he was on his way to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib when police intercepted him.
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'Today, a devotee is not even allowed to visit a gurdwara. Is this democracy?' he asked. He also launched a scathing attack on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP national convener
Arvind Kejriwal
, accusing them of misusing state machinery to silence the opposition.
The Shiromani Akali Dal condemned the police action, calling it undemocratic and repressive. Party leaders have vowed to continue their protest against what they termed 'political vendetta' against Majithia.
Meanwhile, Punjab Minister Aman Arora took a dig at the Akali Dal's claims of mass detentions, saying, 'Akali Dal has become 'Khali' Dal; they don't have thousands of workers,' in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
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