‘It is a result of the party standing firmly with farmers against agriculture laws’
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday lashed out at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for allegedly withdrawing the Z-plus security cover of former Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.
‘SAD condemns the arbitrary, dictatorial and politically motivated decision of the Central government to withdraw the Z-plus security cover of the former Minister and senior Akali leader,” party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said.
In a statement, Mr. Cheema, also a senior SAD leader, alleged that Mr. Majithia’s security cover had been withdrawn because the party had “stood firmly with farmers” against the Centre’s farm laws and the denial of the official language status to Punjabi in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the SAD had voted against the Centre’s farm laws in Parliament besides quitting the Union Cabinet and the National Democratic Alliance over the issue.
“It is clear that Mr. Majithia is a victim of political vendetta. The SAD, however, will not be cowed down by such tactics and will continue to stand with farmers and Punjabis against the Central laws as well as any other issue which weakens the federal structure or is intrinsically anti-Punjab,” Mr. Cheema said.
Mr. Majithia is the brother of former Union Minister and SAD’s Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and brother-in-law of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Speaking about Mr. Majithia’s security issue, the SAD leader said “Z-plus category security cover had been given to him in 2010 during the UPA rule on the basis of threat perception .The case was cleared by the then Home Minister P Chidambaram who was known to be a hard taskmaster. We would like to know what has changed suddenly that the ten-year-old cover was withdrawn on a single-line order.”
‘Under threat’
“Mr Majithia continues to be targeted by Pakistan-based anti-national elements and gangsters who have openly threatened to eliminate him. Even Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has recently talked about increased attempts by Pakistan’s ISI to revive terrorist activity in Punjab, particularly in the Majha belt of the State which shares a border with Pakistan,” he said.
Mr.Majithia is from the Majha area.