CHANDIGARH: With an eye on the Hindu and Scheduled Caste votes, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal have been visiting temples and Dalit places of worship in poll-bound Punjab. The state has the highest density of the Dalit population – 32% across Sikhs and Hindus with the latter forming 38% of the population.
Former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal recently offered prayers at Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal in Amritsar as part of ‘Pargat Diwas’ celebrations.
Emerging from the temple, Sukhbir said if the SAD-BSP government came to power, it would set up a university in the memory of Maharishi Valmiki in Doaba region of the state. He said the university would be in addition to the one that would be set up in memory of Dr BR Ambedkar.
Sukhbir said the Congress’ decision to appoint Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit, as the chief minister was only symbolic. The party had no intention to serve the Dalits, he added. A few days ago, Sukhbir visited Mata Chintpurni temple in Una district in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh on the first Navratra. There he prayed for the victory of farmers as well as peace and communal harmony. Sukhbir also performed ‘Kanjak Pujan’ on the occasion. The SAD chief was at Devi Talab Mandir in Jalandhar on the occasion of Navratri.