Patiala, April 6 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called on people to boycott leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday, saying those responsible for the "desecration" of a religious text and "atrocities" against people must be held accountable.
The CM was referring to the 2015 sacrilege incidents and the police firing on anti-sacrilege protesters in Faridkot.
"These (Akalis) have damaged the psyche of every ordinary person by allowing the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib during their rule. These traitors can never be forgiven, as they are responsible for the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and their hands are stained with the blood of innocent people," Mann said while addressing a gathering here.
"Supporting the Akali Dal means consenting to the return of an era of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib, firing on innocent protesters, and atrocities against ordinary people," he said.
"Those who have ruined generations of the state and are responsible for the desecration of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib deserve no leniency and must be taught a lesson. A social boycott of these leaders is necessary so that they cannot cause any further loss to the state and its people," he said.
"These people have always mixed politics and religion for their own vested interests and have always undermined the authority of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib. Jathedars are appointed and removed according to the whims and fancies of the Akali leadership, which has severely damaged their position," Mann alleged.
The chief minister also alleged that Akali Dal leaders were caught stealing electricity at a rally in Muktsar.
"At a function in Sri Muktsar Sahib, the Akali leadership was caught stealing power, and the state government will file a case against them. What can be expected from such people who indulge in petty crimes like power theft?" he asked.
SAD leader Kanwarjit Singh rejected Mann's charges.
Attacking SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Mann said he frequently defames AAP workers because they raise the voice of the people.
"These people became wealthy and amassed huge wealth by usurping facilities meant for the common man. The former deputy chief minister has forgotten that the state deteriorated during their long misrule, when the mafia ruled," he alleged.
Badal is appealing to people to give his party one chance to serve the state. He has probably forgotten that his party was given a chance five times, the CM said.
"Instead of serving the people, they (SAD) looted the masses and the state, due to which they were shown the door by the people," he said.
Targeting the previous SAD and Congress governments, Mann said they acted like termites that ruined Punjab after independence, causing it to lag in development.
"They damaged the state economically, socially, politically, and even religiously, but Punjab is now back on the right track due to the steps taken by our government," he said.
"From our platform, we speak about education, health, power, agriculture, and other sectors, whereas other parties focus only on grabbing power."
"These opportunistic leaders are baffled as people are not responding to them because their agenda is limited to their families rather than the public," the CM said.
Mann said people elected the AAP due to the incompetence and misrule of the previous governments.