'Walk the talk': Punjab CM dares SAD to pull-out of the BJP alliance at the Centre

Soon after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced its decision to not contest the Delhi elections in alliance with the BJP owing to differences over the Citizenship Amendment Act, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh hit out at the party and dared SAD to quit its alliance with the ruling BJP at the Centre.The Punjab CM, on Tuesday, slammed SAD for their hypocrisy and stated that if they are really against the 'divisive' and 'destructive' amended Citizenship Act, they should walk the talk and pull-out of the NDA alliance at the Centre. 

'Why do you support CAA in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha?'

Amarinder Singh also questioned SAD's support to the bill when it was introduced in both houses of the Parliament.

"If you found the CAA to be anti-Muslim, why did you support and pass the legislation in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha?," ANI quoted the Punjab CM as he questioned SAD.

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Singh also added that SAD's decision to not contest polls along with BJP in Delhi after Haryana due to their supposed differences over the CAA was unacceptable. The Punjab CM attributed SAD's decision to be politically motivated as the party realised that it could not win even a single seat in Delhi without ground support.

 ''Manjinder Singh Sirsa's claim that the party had been under pressure to review its stand on CAA was ludicrous, to say the least, considering the discordant notes the Akalis had been striking on the issue for the past several days," Singh remarked.

READ | Punjab Govt To Bring White Paper On PPA's Signed During Akali Regime: Amarinder

'SAD is strongly against NRC'

Addressing a press conference earlier on Monday, SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa had said during three poll-related meetings with the BJP, his party was asked to consider its stand on the CAA. "During our meeting with the BJP, we were asked to reconsider our stand on the CAA but we declined to do so.''

The Shiromani Akali Dal is of the firm stand that Muslims cannot be left out of the CAA. Sirsa though a SAD leader had contested the 2017-bypoll election from the Rajouri Garden seat on a BJP ticket and he had won it. He said his party is also “strongly” against the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

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READ | SAD Will Not Contest Delhi Polls, BJP Asked Us To Reconsider Position On CAA: Sirsa

With ANI Inputs