Amarinder Singh of BJP Denounces Attempted Murder of Sukhbir Badal

Chandigarh, Dec 4 (NationPress) Senior BJP leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday condemned the attempted murder of Sukhbir Singh Badal, President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

In a statement, Amarinder Singh expressed relief that Sukhbir Badal "is safe and the bullet did not hit or harm him".

He praised the individual who swiftly overpowered the assailant and deflected his arm, preventing the bullet from striking Sukhbir Badal.

The former Chief Minister noted that Sukhbir Badal had sought forgiveness from the Akal Takht and was undergoing the punishment announced for him within the Golden Temple complex. He remarked that those responsible for the attack on the Akali leader had breached the Sikh Maryada.

He emphasized that Punjab has already endured considerable suffering during the 1980s and 1990s and cannot afford to enter another dark period.

The BJP leader urged the populace to remain vigilant against forces attempting to disrupt peace in Punjab.

A sympathizer of Khalistan associated with the radical Sikh group Dal Khalsa opened fire at Sukhbir Badal while the former Deputy Chief Minister was on "punishment" guard duty.

The assailant was restrained by three police personnel in civilian attire who were present for the security of the Akali leader.

In a video, wheelchair-bound Sukhbir Badal was seen in a blue 'sewadar' uniform wielding a spear at point-blank range when the shooter brandished the firearm. However, the policemen acted swiftly and subdued the assailant.

The shooter has been identified as Narain Singh Chaura, allegedly a former militant, who has numerous cases against him and was implicated in the notorious Burail jailbreak incident in Chandigarh in 2004, where four undertrials, three of whom were assassins of former Chief Minister Beant Singh, escaped from prison by digging a tunnel.

Regarding the attempted murder, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Harpal Singh informed the media that adequate security measures were implemented, and he was present on-site.

"Chaura was present in the temple yesterday as well. On Wednesday morning, he arrived at the temple as usual and paid his respects before firing at Badal," he stated to the media.

According to police reports, Chaura crossed into Pakistan in 1984 and played a key role in smuggling weapons and explosives into Punjab during the early stages of militancy. He was reportedly linked to the Khalistan Liberation Force and the Akal Federation. He is also wanted in cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Ropar districts.

While in Pakistan, he allegedly authored a book on guerrilla warfare and produced "seditious" literature.

Sixty-two-year-old Sukhbir Badal was performing 'sewadar' duties following the Akal Takht's pronouncement of 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for him and several other Akali Dal leaders due to "mistakes" made during the party's governance in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

As part of the punishment, Sukhbir Badal and his former cabinet colleagues were ordered to clean toilets, serve "langar" (community kitchen), perform daily prayers, and recite Sukhmani Sahib. Placards were also placed around their necks as part of the sentence.

Due to health concerns, Sukhbir Badal and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa were instructed to serve as gatekeepers at the entrance of the Golden Temple for two days.