Govt delegated ‘constitutional powers’ to Team Kejriwal: SAD

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of “delegating constitutional powers” to its chief Arvind Kejriwal and his team by giving them access to state government files.

In a resolution passed during the general delegate session of the SAD here, the party said it was shocking that the people, who are out on bail in corruption cases, were “checking government files”.

Kejriwal and several AAP leaders, including party’s Punjab affairs incharge Manish Sisodia, are currently out on bail in corruption cases linked to the now-scrapped 2020-21 Delhi excise policy.

Several other resolutions were passed during the session at Teja Singh Samundari Hall on the Golden Temple complex.

The party also condemned the “total collapse” of law and order in the state and expressed serious concern at the series of grenade attacks on police stations and vandalism of statues of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar.

The SAD demanded immediate release of “Bandi Sikhs” as per “commitment made by the Union government” and also said the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana — convicted for the assassination of former CM Beant Singh — should be commuted to life without any further delay.

It also urged all political parties to join hands to pressure the Centre to implement a genuine federal structure in the state while asserting the Centre was usurping state powers on a regular basis.

The party also demanded that Punjabi-speaking areas of Haryana should be transferred to Punjab, along with capital Chandigarh. It condemned attempts to retain Chandigarh as a “permanent Union Territory”.

It also condemned direct interference in religious affairs of Sikh community and blamed the BJP and AAP for the creation of a separate gurdwara management committee in Haryana.

Hoist Nishan Sahib at houses: Jathedar to Sikhs

Meanwhile, on the eve of Khalsa Sajna Diwas, officiating Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj asked the community to hoist the Nishan Sahib at their houses, offices and places of work to express their happiness and unity. He congratulated the community over the 326th birth anniversary of the Khalsa Panth.

Punjab