Patiala, Dec 08: Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, arrested in a disproportionate asset case, today celebrated his 79th birthday in a local jail where an array of NDA leaders including Defence Minister George Fernandes, turned up in strength in a show of solidarity with him. Fernandes accompanied by Textiles Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussein and Chemicals Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who is Badal's party colleague met the Shiromani Akali Dal chief and his son Sukhbir in the jail this afternoon.
After the 75-minute meeting with the Badals, Fernandes told reporters that he would submit a report to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tomorrow. "Atrocity on any constituent of NDA is an attack on the NDA itself", he said.
He accused the Amarinder Singh government in Punjab of "letting loose a reign of terror" and warned it would have to face consequences
Asked what action the Centre could take against the Amarinder Singh government, Fernandes said it would take action as per the law and the constitution.
Fernandes said that the type of treatment being meted out to the leader of the opposition (Badal) by Amarinder Singh government was not even given to anyone during the emergency.
He said that keeping Sukhbir Badal in the condemned cell was wrong. He was shifted to his father's cell after it became known that NDA ministers were to visit the duo, he said.
He alleged many sad workers had been kept behind bars without any reason as part of political witchhunt or on flimsy grounds.
Bureau Report