Man tries to shoot Sukhbir Badal at Amritsar’s Golden Temple, arrested
Bullets were fired on Wednesday at Golden Temple premises in Punjab’s Amritsar where Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, including party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, are offering ‘seva’ under the religious punishments pronounced for them by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Police arrested the man who allegedly was attempting to shoot SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The shooter has been identified Narain Singh Chaura, allegedly a former militant, who faces many cases and has remained underground.
At the time of the incident, Narain Singh Chaura was standing close to Sukhbir Singh Badal. When opened fire at Sukhbir Badal, a ‘sewadar’ standing nearby pushed his hand toward upside, saving the SAD leader.
“SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was sitting by the Guru Ram Das Dwar as ‘Chowkidar’. Bullet was fired in his direction…I thank Guru Nanak that he saved his ‘sevak’…This is a huge incident, what era is Punjab being pushed into?” SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema.
He attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government and said, “I would like to ask the CM of Punjab [Bhagwant Mann], where do you want to take Punjab?…The attacker was caught on the spot. I also thank the security personnel here. Had they not acted promptly…There should be a high-level judicial enquiry into the incident…We will continue with our ‘seva’…”
Sukhbir Badal’s religious punishment
Sukhbir Singh Badal has been at the Golden Temple to perform the duty of a ‘sewadar’ or volunteer outside the Golden Temple under ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) pronounced by the Sikh clergy.
Holding a spear in one hand, Badal, in blue ‘sewadar’ uniform, Sukhbir Singh Badal was at the entrance of the Golden Temple in his wheelchair on Tuesday, serving his punishment. He has a fractured leg.
Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was also in a wheelchair because of his age, underwent the same punishment, while former Punjab ministers Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema washed utensils.
Small boards hung around the necks of Badal and Dhindsa, acknowledging their “misdeeds”. Both leaders served as ‘sewadar’ for one hour.
Pronouncing the ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) for Badal and other leaders for the “mistakes” committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht on Monday directed the senior Akali leader to serve as a ‘sewadar’, and wash dishes and clean shoes at the Golden Temple.