Akalis ask NDA to stay away from meeting

NEW DELHI: Miffed Akali Dal leaders are reported to have asked senior NDA leaders to stay away from its July 16 meeting being held at the Golden Temple.
The Akali Dal, a member of the ruling NDA, is upset over the Centre''s ''indifference'' to the campaign launched by Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh against his predecessor, Prakash Singh Badal, and his family members.
NDA convener George Fernandes and senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and V K Malhotra were scheduled to attend this meeting, which was planned as an NDA meeting to condemn Amarinder''s alleged acts of vengeance against the Akali Dal.
Malhotra had announced the participation of NDA leaders in this programme after the BJP and Akali Dal leaders met Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on July 3 to complain about the Punjab CM''s campaign.
Denying that the July 16 meeting was to be held under the NDA banner, BJP sources said the Akali Dal had asked them not to participate in this programme at the Akal Takht as it was meant to be a show of Sikh unity. They maintained that the meeting is being planned by the Akali Dal as a show of strength for Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Badal, who have joined hands after a long period of estrangement.
Denying that the Akali Dal was angry with the government, BJP sources said an NDA team will visit Punjab soon to assess the situation arising out the Vigilance Bureau raids against Badal and his family members.
The Akali Dal was miffed because the NDA and its alliance partner, the state BJP unit, had not supported it publicly by condemning these raids. An embittered Badal had also stated that the Akali Dal was capable of fighting its battles singlehandedly.
While threatening to walk out of the ruling coalition, the Akali Dal had also told the NDA team not to visit the state. It was only after this public display of anger that Advani met a joint delegation of Akali Dal and BJP leaders. After this meeting, Advani condemned the Amarinder Singh government for victimising the Akalis and indulging in the politics of a witch-hunt.