Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday asked Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh “to stop his dangerous efforts to sabotage the farmers’ agitation by linking it with threats to national security”.

“Clearly the Indira Gandhi spirit is alive in Amarinder,” said Sukhbir recalling how successive Congress Governments at the Centre had used “the same vilification tactics against peaceful Akalis, calling them separatists, terrorists and what not”.

SAD leader asked Capt Amarinder  to share with the people the specific grounds or intelligence on the basis of which he has suddenly woken up to the threat to national security and that too when the farmers battle of life and death has reached a crucial stage.

“Amarinder is clearly dancing to someone else’s tune to paint the farmers as national security risk. His so-called warning on national security comes immediately after his suspicious meeting with a powerful Union Minister. Does he think the farmers and others in the country can’t see through his conspiratorial role against them?” asked SAD chief.

Sukhbir said that instead of telling the government to address farmers’ genuine apprehensions and grievances, Capt Amarinder has chosen to warn the poor farmers against continuing with their peaceful, democratic agitation. “At the same time, he has tried to set the whole country against the farmers cause. This is clearly a part of Centre’s design to use him to weaken support for the farmers,” he said.