Amarinder government has surrendered to radical forces: Akali Dal

Chandigarh, Sep 14 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday demanded immediate dismissal of the Punjab government citing complete collapse in the law and order situation in the state and accusing the Congress government of "abject surrender to radical extremist forces".

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, flanked by former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, told media in Bathinda on Friday that the Amarinder Singh government was colluding with radical elements to vitiate the atmosphere in Punjab to serve the Congress' political interests.

Badal said the Congress government was indulging in a dangerous political game.

"Punjab has suffered earlier for 15 years (due to terrorism) and the Congress is pushing the state towards that," Sukhbir Badal said.

SAD spokesman and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said in Chandigarh that the Congress government had proved that it was incapable of maintaining law and order by refusing to allow holding of a peaceful rally at Faridkot scheduled for September 16.

He said the government had submitted in writing that this permission was not being given because of pressure from radical groups who were sitting in dharna around 35 km away.

Asserting that no government deserved to remain in power if it was incapable of maintaining rule of law, Cheema said the government should be dismissed forthwith.

"An arbitrary ban on holding democratic protests, which was a right given to each citizen as per the Constitution, was intolerable," Cheema said, adding that the state government was "incapable of maintaining peace and communal harmony by succumbing to pressure exerted by 100 to 150 radical elements".