Launching a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the farmers' protest against the three central farm laws, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday dubbed the saffron party as the ‘real tukde tukde gang’ and accused it of setting Hindus against Sikhs in Punjab.
Asserting that “the BJP first set Hindus against Muslims”, Badal said the party has “become the most powerful divisive force”, out to “replay its evil game in Punjab”.
Asking his former ally to shun the “arrogant attitude” over the farm laws and accept what farmers want, Badal warned the BJP against any attempt to set Hindus against Sikhs.
He said if one speaks in favour of the central government, he is called 'Desh Bhakt' and if he speaks out against it, he is branded as ‘tukde tukde gang’.
“BJP is the real #TukdeTukdeGang in the country. It has smashed the national unity to pieces, shamelessly inciting Hindus against Muslims & now desperately setting peace-loving Punjabi Hindus against their Sikh brethren esp #farmers. They're pushing patriotic Punjab into communal flames,” Badal alleged in a tweet.
The SAD had quit the National Democratic Alliance over the issue of farm laws. SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal had also resigned as Union minister.
Later in a statement, Badal alleged that the BJP has been “splitting the country into pieces by setting one community against another”.
“So desperate is it for the power that it has no scruples about taking the communal polarisation route and setting the country on communal flames,” he alleged.
“The BJP first set Hindus against Muslims. Now, it is determined to replay the same evil game and re-enact the same tragedy in Punjab also,” he alleged.
“It is conspiring to set our peace-loving Hindu brethren in Punjab against their Sikh brethren with whom they have shared strong bonds of blood for centuries. The BJP wants to replace those bonds of blood with bloodshed,” he further alleged.
He warned the BJP against any attempt to incite brothers against each other.
The SAD chief accused the saffron party of resorting to “dangerous conspiracies to sabotage the hard-earned atmosphere of peace and communal harmony just for the realisation of petty political goals”.
“The BJP leadership must realise that their party today has become the most powerful divisive force. It has been resorting to dividing the country and its people by spreading hatred in the name of religion,” he alleged.
The Shiromani Akali Dal chief asked the BJP-led Centre to shun its “arrogant attitude”.
“Those who framed (farm) laws were never involved in farming activities. The central government acts on what its officers say,” he added.
Referring to the ongoing farmers' agitation over the three farm laws, Badal said, “The whole country except the BJP gratefully acknowledges the debt which we owe to our patriotic farmers and soldiers.”
“The BJP is provoking the people to deny that debt. It believes only in emotionally exploiting farmers' sacrifices but remains so ungrateful to them that it is painting them as anti-national.
“Today it is against farmers. Nobody knows what the BJP might say even about soldiers tomorrow if it suits them. The farmers are hurt and angry against the BJP,” he alleged.
Badal said it is shocking and unbelievable that a party which claimed to take pride in India's heritage is determined to “destroy” the foundations of that very heritage.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere have been protesting near various border points of Delhi including Singhu and Tikri for over a fortnight demanding the Centre repeal three new farm laws.
