NEW DELHI: A man opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Wednesday morning. Badal, in blue ‘sewadar’ uniform, was at the entrance of the Golden Temple in his wheelchair, serving his punishment. He has a fractured leg. According to the police, the assailant was identified as Narayan Singh Chaura who was immediately taken into custody. However, the motive of the attack is not known yet. “There were proper security arrangements here. Sukhbir ji was properly given cover. Narayan Singh Chaura (assailant) was here yesterday as well. Today too, he first paid obeisance to the Guru,” ADCP Harpal Singh said. “Security arrangements were proper. The person (shooter) tried to do some mischief but he could not succeed,” he added. Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema said that attack on Badal was a big conspiracy to push Punjab back into the fire, “This is a big conspiracy to push Punjab back into the fire. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was serving as ‘sewadar’ at the entrance of the temple was shot at. I thank God for saving his life… I want to ask (CM) Bhagwant Mann what has he done to the state,” Cheema said. SAD MP and Sukhbir Badal’s wife Harsimrat Kaur also arrived at Golden temple following the attack. This comes two days after Badal, along with other SAD leaders, were directed to wash utensils, clean shoes and bathrooms after five Sikh high priests pronounced their punishment after he was declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) for “mistakes” committed during SAD’s tenure in office from 2007 to 2017. The priests, led by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, directed Sukhbir to perform various acts of public penance outside the Clock Tower at Golden Temple and at other key Sikh shrines for two days each wearing sewadar attire and a placard with Gurbani verses.
