Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu on Saturday suggested that the Shiromani Akali Dal should honor the man who shot former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal as he had himself admitted that he had sacrificed, for which he had to undergo penance.
Criticizing the Akali Dal, Bittu suggested that senior party leader Bikram Singh Majithia should also embrace Narayan Singh Chaura, the man who shot Sukhbir, “as he embraced the killer of Bayant Singh.”
Bittu, grandson of Beant Singh, added that the Akali Dal sympathizes with terrorists, “but terrorists are not loyal to anyone.”
Bittu said Chaura was a “senior citizen and Sikh devotee”. “Sukhveer had admitted in Akal Takht that the SAD-BJP government was in disgrace during the tenure of the state and they failed to do justice in the inquiry. Senior citizen Chaura must have been deeply hurt and his actions seem to be guided by emotion. But does that mean he has the right to attack anyone in Darbar Sahib? No. But I don’t see any Khalistani or terror angle in this. Rather I strongly feel that SAD and SGPC should fight the case and release him as they have suggested in the past As people with big hearts should act,” Bittu told mediapersons in New Delhi on Saturday.
Bittu added that, in fact, “Chaura Saab should be honored and his portrait should be made part of the Sikh Museum at the Golden Temple”.
Taking a further dig at Majithia, Bittu said, “The Akali leader hugged former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s murder convict Balwant Singh Rajoana when he was out on bail last month, so he should do the same gesture with Chaura. SAD and SGPC are proud of Rajoana. They even fought a legal battle for his release.” They are fighting for the release of ‘Bandi Singh’ and also fighting for Chaura It should be, so that the same result does not come to him.”
Later in the day, addressing the media, Majithia said that Bittu’s statement reflects his mindset. Addressing journalists in the evening, Majithia said, ‘We can see Bittu’s mentality from his speech.
“I don’t take any BJP minister’s statement of quitting Congress seriously as both the parties have different ideologies. But I wonder why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are silent.
“On December 4, Bittu condemned the attack and now he has taken a complete U-turn. He is also acknowledging the attack inside the Golden Temple. The BJP has a lot to answer for and clarify its stand,” Majithia said.
SAD spokesperson Arshdeep Kler added that such comments by the BJP minister showed a deliberate attempt by the party to target the liberal Akali leadership. “This seems to be part of a conspiracy to end the SAD. How can people like Bittu understand the limits of the Akal Takht calling the woman who ordered the attack on the Akal Takht, Indira Gandhi as mother,” he said.