Badal assassination attempt: Jasmeet Kaur condemns her husband's actions
Dec 04, 2024
Gurdaspur (Punjab) [India], December 4 : Jasmeet Kaur, wife of Narain Singh Chaura, who attempted to assassinate Sukhbir Singh Badal, condemned her husband's actions on Wednesday.
She stated that her husband had informed her he was attending a "death anniversary programme" in Amritsar.
"I didn't know what had happened until reporters came knocking at my door. Earlier, he had been lodged in jails in Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Gurdaspur," Kaur told reporters.
"I don't think what he did was right," Kaur added.
Narain Singh Chaura opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The attack was foiled by Punjab Police.
Earlier, SAD leader Naresh Gujral described the attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal, the party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, as an "attack by extremists on the moderate forces of Punjab" and called for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Gujral also alleged that the attacker had "Khalistani connections" and claimed the incident was an attempt to "destabilise" Punjab.
"Today's attack is an assault by extremists on the moderate forces of Punjab. Sukhbir Badal and the Shiromani Akali Dal represent moderate forces in Punjab among both Sikhs and Punjabis. Preliminary reports suggest the attacker has Khalistani connections," Gujral said.
Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring blamed the state government for being "100 per cent negligent" regarding the attempted assassination.
The shooting occurred on Wednesday morning when a man opened fire at SAD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal while he was serving penance as a 'sewadar' at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The attacker was immediately apprehended by Punjab Police, who seized his gun, while bystanders also overpowered him.
Badal had been declared a 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) in August by the Akal Takht, which imposed religious punishment on him.
The Akal Takht issued the punishment citing "mistakes" and "decisions" made by the SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
Badal was seated at the entrance of the Golden Temple with a placard around his neck as part of his 'tankhah' religious penance.
