Amritsar: Shrimoni Akali Dal leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder on Friday said that former SAD president Sukhwinder Singh Badal will continue performing ‘Seva’. There was an attempt on the life of Badal this morning at the premises of the Golden Temple in Amritsar where he was performing penance under the religious punishments pronounced by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

The Punjab Chief Minister’s Office said that the attacker identified as Narain Singh Chaura was nabbed by the police. “The attack was foiled by the police. A security cordon was already in place by the police. Before Chaura could do anything, Police Constable nabbed him,” the Punjab CMO said in a statement.

“This is the place of Wahe Guru, He protects us. ‘Seva’ will continue. We trust the Almighty,” Balwinder Singh Bhunder said.

According to police officials, Badal was not hurt.

During the attempted assasination, Badal was sitting at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a plaque card around his neck as part of the ‘tankhah’ religious punishment pronounced by the Akal Takht Board for religious misconduct during his tenure from 2007 to 2017.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Harjinder Singh Dhami assured that a thorough investigation of the incident will be carried out from the Gurudwara’s behalf as well.

“We will investigate this through our sources well. I think he (the attacker) has been nabbed and taken away by the Police. Guru Ram Das saved Sukhbir Singh Badal…We are looking into the security arrangements,” he said.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, said, “It is extremely sad that an attempt has been made to kill him.”

Badal was declared a ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) in August by Akal Takht, which announced religious punishment for him. Badal, who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, Badal is doing ‘sewadar’ work – washing utensils, cleaning shoes and bathrooms – at the Golden Temple. The Akal Takht issued the punishments for him citing the “mistakes” and “some decisions” taken by SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

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