Punjab election: Bhatinda blast a handiwork of KCF, a 'political conspiracy', says Amarinder Singh

The Congress' chief ministerial candidate said highly-placed sources in Punjab police had told him that the Khalistan Commando Force perpetrated the attack on Jan 31, in which 6 people were killed and a dozen others injured.

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Punjab election: Bhatinda blast a handiwork of KCF, a 'political conspiracy', says Amarinder Singh
Amarinder Singh.

In Short

  • Law and order situation in Punjab has deteriorated under SAD regime, said Amarinder Singh.
  • Kejriwal hobnobbing with anti-national elements who were behind the Bhatinda IED blast, he added.
  • Aam Aadmi Party is backing elements aiming to destabilise Punjab, said SAD.

Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday accused the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) of carrying out the IED blast in Maur Mandi in Bhatinda. He said highly placed sources in Punjab police had informed him about the KCF perpetrating the attack on Jan 31, in which 6 people were killed and a dozen others injured. In a politically-charged atmosphere, Singh launched an attack on Kejriwal, accusing him of hobnobbing with anti-national elements who were behind the Bhatinda IED blast.

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The Congress' chief ministerial candidate termed the attack a political conspiracy. He said that Kejriwal was playing with fire. "Kejriwal is responsible for bringing together Naxals on the one hand and Khalistani elements on the other. He is willing to go to any extent to win the election, even if that means mingling with forces considered anti-national", Amarinder alleged.

Also read | Union Budget 2017: Captain Amarinder Singh hits out at Arun Jaitley for poll sops

Amarinder minced no words in hitting out at the Badal clan too, alleging that the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated under the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) regime. He said, "As many as 53 gangs, besides the Nabha gangsters, were having a field day in the state."

SAD INDULGING IN BLAME GAME OVER BHATINDA BLAST

Minutes after the IED blast at Maur mandi in Bathinda, the ruling SAD started indulging in a blame game, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party of backing elements aiming to destabilise Punjab. Kejriwal hit back soon after, accusing Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal orchestrating the entire incident.

With the campaigning coming to an end in the high-octane Punjab battle, the Bhatinda incident has given political rivals in Punjab fresh ammunition to attack each other as is evident from the exchanges on social media sites like Twitter. This is a do-or-die for Congress, AAP and SAD in what is a triangular contest. The state goes to polls on 4th Feb.

Also read | Punjab Election 2017: Amarinder Singh pulls out all stops on home turf