Another Cong leader refutes SAD statement

Jalandhar, April 18

Days after Akali leaders lashed out against Congress MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh alleging that his father and former minister Master Gurbanta Singh had shown black flags to Dr BR Ambedkar upon his visit to Jalandhar, another veteran Congress leader has come out against the Akalis.

General secretary of the party, Dr Ram Lal Jassi, today issued a statement condemning the speech of SAD chief Sukhbir Badal during an Ambedkar Jayanti function held at Buta Mandi on April 15.

Dr Jassi said, “Sukhbir Badal has furnished wrong information saying that Dr Ambedkar was shown black flags on October 27, 1951, in Jalandhar.”

He said, “I was a student of Class V then. I went along with my father to meet Dr Ambedkar, when he came to DAV College in Jalandhar and addressed staff and students. We managed to pay our respects with great difficulty, managing through the milling crowd. Later, I went to Buta Mandi to listen to him where he addressed a huge gathering. No demonstration was held against him and no black flags were shown by anyone throughout the day as alleged in the Akali conference.”

Yesterday, KC Sulekh (92), the then general secretary of the Punjab Scheduled Caste Federation, had said he had organised the events for Dr Ambedkar in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala in 1951. “No protest took place against him then,” he said.

Akali spokesperson and MLA Pawan Tinu said both veteran leaders issuing denials were Congressmen. “They will side with the candidate of their party for obvious reasons,” he added.— TNS