Ready for BJPs repression, oppression, conspiracies, says Sukhbir – The Indian Express

Accusing the BJP of using coercive tactics to put pressure on former DSGMC Manjinder Singh Sirsa to join the party, Sukhbir Singh Badal Thursday said the Shiromani Akali Dal chief was ready to face any challenge thrown by the saffron party.

This is BJPs revenge against us for standing by our principles, breaking the alliance with them and quitting the cabinet to stand by farmers. But we have no regrets whatsoever. In fact, we are very proud of what we did then. We are ready for repression, oppression and conspiracies and will defeat them, said Sukhbir. Sirsa, a prominent face of the Akali Dal in Delhi and a strong supporter of the farmers protests against the three contentious farm laws, joined the BJP Wednesday. Sukhbir said that the BJP-led government at the Centre was stooping to a new low in abusing power to deal with democratic opposition. The SAD president also showed some WhatsApp message that he had reportedly received from Sirsa. Sirsa on WhatsApp told me that they will put him in jail and harass his family if he (Sirsa) did not join the BJP, said Sukhbir.

You suppress the DSGMC president, slap cases and then point a gun on his head telling either you leave (SAD) or you will be sent behind the barsBut I am disappointed and sad that instead of being true to the traditions of his religion against repression, Sirsa chose to bow down. This was disgraceful, especially coming from someone on whom the Sikh qaum (community) and the SAD have bestowed so much honour, Badal said. He said Punjab is a border state and his party is an example of mutual brotherhood. If the Centre thinks it will weaken the SAD, they will not succeed, he said. Sukhbir said this new attack is a continuation of the old tactics of mixing repression, oppression and conspiracy to break the spirit of the Sikh qaum.

Let them try everything. Repression cannot break us. The Mughals tried it. The British tried it. The Congress rulers including Indira Gandhi tried it. The whole world knows what the outcome was then. It will be no different this time, he said. Sukhbir said that Sirsa leaving SAD will not impact them as he has no following in the state. Everybody in Punjab knows that he has no roots here, he added,

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Ready for BJPs repression, oppression, conspiracies, says Sukhbir - The Indian Express