May God wipe out clan of those involved in sacrilege, cheap politics on it: Sukhbir Singh Badal

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Thursday said he has prayed that the Almighty may "wipe out the entire clan" of those who were involved in this "grave sin" of sacrilege and also of those who indulge in "cheap politics" over the issue.

Lashing out at Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at a poll rally here, Badal accused him of raking up the sacrilege issue "merely to divert attention from his utter failures" as the Chief Minister.

"Punjab CM was running away from the issues of development, good governance and welfare. But he lacks the courage to seek a vote on his performance," Badal said.

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Amarinder Singh had said he would not spare anyone, including the Badals, found to be involved in trying to divide people of Punjab by allowing desecration of the holy scriptures.

The chief minister had also said they would have to pay for their "sins", including the firing on anti-sacrilege protesters in Faridkot in 2015.

The sacrilege incident took place when the SAD-BJP combine was in power.

A Special Investigation Team was set up to probe the 2015 sacrilege and police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in Faridkot.

On the issue of governance, Badal said transforming the face of rural Punjab and further upgradation of urban areas would be the top priority of his party when it forms the next government in Punjab.

"And that may be sooner than the Congress thinks. And before that, we will use our clout in the government of India (if the NDA comes to power) to secure central projects and schemes for modernising Punjab," the Akali Dal chief said, adding "when we are back in saddle, all 12,500 villages in Punjab will have basic amenities like water supply, concrete streets, street lights and sewerage at par with cities."

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The former deputy chief minister accused Amarinder Singh of going back on all poll promises he had made in 2017.

"Today, he is not heard talking about completewaiver of farmers'debt, jobs to every household, unemployment allowance of Rs 2,500 per month, free power up to 400 units to Dalits, pension of Rs 2500,sugar and tea along with 'Atta daal' to the poor and so on," he said.