SAD President Sukhbir Badal Intensifies Pressure on Punjab CM Over CBI Probe Demand
In a fiery address in Sangrur, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal launched a scathing attack on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, demanding an immediate Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death of warehousing corporation officer Gagandeep Singh Randhawa. Badal questioned Mann's prolonged silence and inaction regarding alleged connections between Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and the Faridkot extortion-cum-suicide case.
Questioning the Chief Minister's Delayed Response
Speaking alongside Lehra Gaga constituency in-charge Gagandeep Singh Khandebad, Badal expressed disbelief at Mann's recent acknowledgment of the Faridkot incident. "It is absolutely ridiculous that Chief Minister Mann has only now realized that a Faridkot businessman took his own life after killing his two children due to extortion allegedly involving Punjab Congress president Raja Warring's brother-in-law Dimpy Vinayak," Badal stated emphatically.
"The chief minister must explain to the people of Punjab why he has remained completely silent on this critical issue for four long years," he demanded, highlighting what he described as a significant failure in governance and accountability.
Allegations of Financial Irregularities and Political Maneuvering
Badal further challenged Mann's handling of another serious allegation involving Warring. He pointed to the chief minister's continued references to a file detailing an alleged Rs 100 crore scam during Warring's tenure as transport minister in 2021-22. The scandal reportedly involved the fabrication of 814 state buses from Rajasthan despite lower quotes available from Punjab-based fabricators.
"If Chief Minister Mann truly possesses the courage and integrity he claims, he should take decisive legal action against Warring instead of using the lack of a CBI probe in the Faridkot incident as a political shield to protect former transport minister Laljit Bhullar," Badal asserted, accusing the AAP government of selective accountability.
Commitments to Development and Welfare in Lehra Gaga
Turning his attention to local issues in the Lehra Gaga constituency and surrounding areas, Badal addressed pressing environmental and agricultural concerns. "The Shiromani Akali Dal is fully aware that the Ghaggar river needs to be effectively tamed and managed," he declared. "I give you my personal guarantee that I am committed to the complete channelisation of this river from its origins in Himachal Pradesh to the Punjab border with Haryana."
He accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of betraying local farmers, alleging that Mann had reneged on promises to provide compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for crop damage and additional compensation for livestock losses.
Announcement of Comprehensive Welfare Schemes
In a significant policy announcement, the SAD president outlined several welfare initiatives aimed at supporting various segments of the population:
- An interest-free loan of Rs 10 lakh for youth to encourage entrepreneurship and economic self-reliance.
- Revival and expansion of the Aata Dal scheme to ensure food security for vulnerable families.
- Increase in old age pension to Rs 3,100 per month to better support senior citizens.
- Enhancement of the Shagun allowance to Rs 1 lakh to assist families during marriages.
Badal's address underscored SAD's strategy of combining sharp political criticism with concrete development promises as the party seeks to regain ground in Punjab's competitive political landscape.
