Latest news with #Akalis
Hans India
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
AAP has become so afraid of Akali Dal, says Sukhbir Badal after courting arrest
Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal on Wednesday courted arrest along with Akali workers to protest the registration of a case against senior party leader Bikram Singh Majithia. The SAD President was stopped by police squads from visiting gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib to pay obeisance, after which he was scheduled to lead Akali workers to the Vigilance Bureau office to protest against political vendetta against Majithia. A large number of Akali workers were forcibly taken away by heavy police contingents deployed to prevent them from paying obeisance and assembling inside the sacred precincts of the Gurdwara Sahib. 'AAP has become so afraid of the Shiromani Akali Dal that it conducted a state-level crackdown on Akali workers and detained hundreds of senior leaders and workers at their residences besides undertaking preventive arrests,' Badal told the media at the protest site. 'Everything in Punjab is being directed and run by the communal non-Punjabi Arvind Kejriwal. Police cases are just a façade. We will not allow Punjab to be ruled by communal elements from Delhi,' said Badal, while speaking to the media from a police van. Badal further said Kejriwal had fallen back on repression as his last desperate measure to divert people's attention from the 'loot that his gang was currently carrying out in Punjab'. Repression and political vendetta, he said, are the last resort taken by all unpopular and rootless leaders. Describing the crackdown on peaceful Akalis as worse than the one during Emergency or even during the Jaitu Da Morcha, he said not even during those days were Sikhs stopped from going to their sacred shrines as Akali workers were stopped on Wednesday from peacefully visiting Gurdham Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali. Badal said, 'I don't care about this repression against me personally, as defiance against repression runs in my blood. But I warn the government against repression against our peaceful Akali workers.' He described Wednesday's developments as 'broad daylight murder of democracy, civil liberties and human rights. Where are the champions of human rights today?'
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Badal claims SAD workers headed to Mohali to express solidarity with Majithia detained by cops
Chandigarh, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday claimed that several Akali workers who were going to Mohali to express solidarity with party leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who has been arrested in a disproportionate assets case, have been detained by police. Badal claims SAD workers headed to Mohali to express solidarity with Majithia detained by cops According to the party, many of its workers in Amritsar, Beas and other places have been "detained" at their residences. Majithia will be produced in a Mohali court on Wednesday as his seven-day vigilance remand comes to an end. Heavy police deployment has been made outside the Vigilance Bureau office and the district court complex in Mohali. Badal accused the Bhagwant Mann-led A government of imposing an "undeclared emergency" in the state. "Bhagwant Mann has imposed an UNDECLARED EMERGENCY in Punjab. Akali workers proceeding to Mohali today for expressing solidarity with S Bikram Singh Majithia, who has been framed in a false case by the Aam Aadmi Party govt, are being detained at their houses & even being stopped at 'nakas' put up on all major roads. "Such repressive acts smack of cowardice. It is clear that chief minister @BhagwantMann is rattled by the outpouring of support for Bikram," Badal said in a post on X. "I want to make it clear - the @Akali_Dal_ & its workers will not be deterred by such repressive acts. In the past also Akalis have countered repression with peoples' movements. Now also we will teach a befitting lesson to the corrupt and dictatorial @AamAadmiParty regime with the support of Punjabis," he said. The VB arrested Majithia on June 25 for his alleged involvement in laundering over ₹ 540 crore of "drug money". He was sent to seven-day vigilance remand on June 26 by a Mohali court. In the FIR registered against Majithia, the VB claimed that preliminary investigations revealed that more than ₹ 540 crore of "drug money" was laundered through several ways and it was allegedly facilitated by Majithia. The FIR against Majithia stems from an ongoing investigation being conducted by a Punjab Police Special Investigation Team into the 2021 drugs case. In 2021, Majithia was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The action was taken on the basis of a 2018 report of the anti-drug Special Task Force. Majithia spent more than five months in Patiala jail in the case. He walked out of prison in August 2022 after the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him bail. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Indian Express
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
June 30, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Army deployed after violence in Baroda
Army in Baroda Three persons were killed and 55 injured, seven of them seriously, as violence erupted suddenly in Baroda. The Army has been deployed to assist the police in patrolling trouble-torn areas under the city. They have intensified their vigil. No arrests have been made so far. It started when youths throwing water-filled balloons in the course of Devshayani Ekadashi festivities turned violent, according to reports. Naga Rebel Attack Two road bridges were blown up by suspected Naga hostiles, cutting off Ukhrul from the rest of Manipur. Police said the explosions were suspected to have been engineered by the underground Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland and took place simultaneously. The hostiles used locally made explosives. Serakhong lital steel bridge (200 feet) and Thong Analbi Bridge (100 feet), damaged in the explosions, are situated within 5 km of each other. Akalis' Release With the Akalis reacting cautiously to Punjab Governor Arjun Singh's announcement that those not accused of serious crimes would be set free, the state government made another significant gesture clarifying that 'sedition' would be no bar against the release of persons arrested on this charge. Raj Bhavan sources said the governor's speech at Amritsar was apparently misunderstood. What he said was that all except those charged with 'waging of war against the state', murder, arson and dacoity would be released. Air India Crash Some indications that there may have been an explosion on board the Air India Jumbo before it crashed into the Atlantic have emerged during the investigation but it is yet to be determined if it could have been caused by a bomb, informed sources said. Senior officials from India who are investigating the crash are yet to reach a definite conclusion about the cause, although they said they have had 'useful' clues so far.
Hindustan Times
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Akalis reduced SGPC to ‘golak' committee: Bhagwant Mann
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday accused Akali leaders of reducing the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to a 'Shiromani Golak Parbandhak Committee,' driven by greed for money. Speaking at a public gathering, Mann alleged that the Badal family misused their political power to interfere in religious affairs, including manipulating the appointment of jathedars of the Akal Takht to serve their personal interests. 'Driven by financial motives, the Akalis have degraded the sanctity of the SGPC and misused both it and the Akal Takht for narrow political gains,' he said. Mann further accused the Akalis of twisting the directives of the Akal Takht to deceive the public and advance their own agenda. 'The Akalis looted not only the state exchequer but also funds belonging to religious institutions. Their tenure was marked by political and religious exploitation, causing significant harm to Punjab,' he added. Mann claimed the Akali leadership neglected the poor while enabling the powerful to loot the state with impunity, exploiting the weaker sections of society. 'The people of Punjab will never forgive the Akalis for the crimes committed against the state and its residents,' Mann warned. He also criticised traditional political parties for being insensitive to the welfare of economically weaker and underprivileged communities, accusing them of treating Scheduled Castes merely as vote bank. 'As rulers, the Akalis remained indifferent to the problems of the common man and treated the SC community as vote banks,' Mann said. He further alleged that Akali leaders amassed enormous wealth by misusing their official positions and remained inaccessible to the public, which ultimately led to their downfall. CM has insulted Sikh community: SGPC chief Reacting sharply to Mann's comment, SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said 'it is an insult to the Sikh community and its premier religious body'. Dhami said the CM's remark was not only baseless and offensive to Sikh sentiments, but also displayed 'intellectual bankruptcy' and 'political arrogance.' He termed the statement a 'blatant insult to the highest religious institution of the Sikh Panth.' 'Such irresponsible comments reflect a shallow understanding of Sikh institutions and history,' Dhami said, warning that targeting the SGPC for political purposes could have far-reaching consequences.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mann slams Akalis, calls SGPC a ‘golak committee'
1 2 3 Amritsar: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann accused the Akalis of allegedly manipulating the appointments of jathedars and reducing the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to a mere 'Shiromani Golak Prabandhak Committee' out of their greed for money. Addressing a public gathering here on Sunday, Mann alleged that the Badals misused their political power to interfere in religious affairs, including manipulating the appointment of jathedars of Akal Takht to suit their personal interests. He also alleged that, driven by financial motives, the Akalis degraded the sanctity of the SGPC and misused both it and the Akal Takht for narrow political gains. Mann also accused them of twisting the directives of the Akal Takht to deceive the public and serve their own agendas. "Akalis not only looted the state exchequer but also funds belonging to religious institutions," he alleged, adding that their tenure was marked by political and religious exploitation, which caused significant harm to Punjab. The chief minister said the Akali leadership symbolises a legacy where the poor were neglected while the powerful looted the state with impunity. He went on to allege that the Akalis exploited the underprivileged and weaker sections of society, adding that they are now facing the consequences of their actions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People Born 1940-1975 With No Life Insurance Could Be Eligible For This Reassured Get Quote Undo SGPC hits back at Mann The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has strongly objected to chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's remark referring to the SGPC as the 'Shiromani Golak Parbandhak Committee' during his address on Sunday. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said Mann's remarks are baseless, deeply hurt Sikh sentiments, and show utter disrespect towards the supreme gurdwara management body of the Sikh community. He said such a comment not only reflects Mann's intellectual bankruptcy but also exposes his arrogance and shallow mindset. Dhami emphasised that the SGPC is not just a gurdwara administrative body but also an ideal institution in the fields of social service and education. 'Neglected weaker sections' Chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday slammed traditional political parties for being insensitive to the welfare of economically weaker and underprivileged sections. He said, "these selfish leaders have always treated scheduled castes (SC) brethren merely as vote banks." Addressing the gathering, Mann said those who usurped money meant for the well-being of poor students under the post-matric scholarship scheme are now facing several health ailments. He mentioned that this money is now being spent on their treatment in hospitals, as they face the wrath of the Almighty. He said these former rulers of the state were completely insensitive to the problems of the common man. He remarked that the convent-educated leaders of previous governments never bothered to improve the level of education in the state, adding that the sole reason for this was that their own children studied in big private schools in the hills, while only the children of the common man attended government schools. In contrast, Mann said his government has been focusing on transforming the lives of the common people by providing them with quality education. SGPC committee meet on June 12 The meeting of the executive committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which was earlier scheduled for June 9, will now be held on June 12, informed SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan in a release issued here on late Sunday said the meeting was postponed due to some important engagements and will be held on June 12 at 12 noon. He also informed that on the same day, at 3 pm, a meeting of the Dharam Parchar Committee will also be held. Mann reiterates Rs 67.8cr loan waiver CM Bhagwant Mann also reiterated his govt's move to waive loans amounting to Rs 67.84 crore disbursed by the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development & Finance Corporation (PSCFC) up to March 31, 2020, benefiting approximately 4,800 families. While addressing a gathering during a function to hand over certificates of loan waiver to the beneficiaries on Sunday, Mann said the waiver covered all loans disbursed by the PSCFC up to the mentioned date, offering significant relief to SC and divyangjan (persons with disabilities) loanees.
