The SAD has expelled former minister Sucha Singh Langah from the primary membership of the party.
Party president Sukhbir Badal said: “At a core committee meeting held in Amritsar on Sunday, the first decision we took was to expel him.”
“Let the law take its own course”
“It is indeed an unfortunate development. I will not like to comment when the court is looking into the matter. The party has taken back all work assigned to Langah till the probe is over,” he added.
BJP secretary Vineet Joshi said: “We will not like to comment on the merit of the case. The law will take its own course. Our party is only questioning the timing of the video leak which was shot in May. It has been timed to harm the alliance’s prospects in the bypoll. In any case, we are going out and meeting people with our party’s agenda of development.”
Off the record, several senior leaders of the Congress and the BJP have named Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa for orchestrating the entire episode.
He brought disrepute to Sikhs, says Akal Takht Jathedar
Sri Akal Takht Sahib called a meeting of five Jathedars to discuss the situation emerging out of the registration of a rape case against Sucha Singh Langah on October 5.
SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar has accepted the resignation of Langah as an SGPC member. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, who is currently on “dharam parchar” tour in Uttarakhand, said the meeting had been convened to discuss the grave misconduct by an Amritdhari Sikh leader elected by the sangat. He said his act brought disrepute to the community as he was a prominent Sikh religious leader. He said suggestions from the religious advisory committee would also be sought on the matter.
PPCC general secretary Amarjit Singh Tikka had, on Sunday, forwarded the video clip to the Jathedar, seeking strict action against the senior Akali leader. Besides, various Sikh organisations were also seeking strict action against Langah, prompting Akal Takht to intervene.