SAD to skip Delhi poll over CAA stance

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 20

The SAD today said it will not contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February 8, after the party was asked by ally BJP to reconsider its stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Rajouri Garden MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa said: “We have opted out as we refused to change our stand on including Muslims in the CAA.”

Asked if this means the long-standing alliance will be called off, Sirsa said: “There is no talk about the alliance. We have opted out as we did not want to compromise on our principles. The Akali Dal supports the CAA but is against keeping out Muslims or anyone else on the basis of religion.”

The BJP had questioned SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s stand on the CAA in the Lok Sabha. “We were questioned on SAD leadership’s stance and were told at three meetings that this was not the BJP stand.”

“The party was asked to reconsider the stand on including Muslims in the CAA. We have not budged. Our stand is clear that country cannot be divided on the basis of religion. The SAD does not favour the NRC,” said Sirsa.