Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday described the attack on her husband and party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal as a “well-planned political conspiracy”, alleging that it was aimed at disrupting peace in Punjab.
Sukhbir Badal was injured in his right hand in a ‘kirpan’ attack by a member of the Nihang order inside a gurdwara on the outskirts of Nanded in Maharashtra on Thursday. The accused was subsequently arrested.
‘Whoever attacked him cannot be a Sikh’
Speaking at a conference held in memory of Karnail Singh Isru of the Goa Liberation Movement in Punjab’s Khanna, Harsimrat Kaur became emotional while recalling the incident.
“I am sorry, I am very emotional today. Because the last 48 hours have been very difficult for me and my family. I was not supposed to be here today; Sukhbir ji had to be here. But see what they did to him,” Kaur said.
She said the attack took place while Sukhbir Badal was offering prayers at a prominent Sikh shrine.
“Sukhbir ji was attacked when he was offering prayers at one of the holiest shrines of Sikhs, praying for Punjab's peace and prosperity. Whoever attacked him cannot be a Sikh and is a 'Guru Dokhi' (anti-Guru),” she said.
Harsimrat links attack to 2015
Kaur alleged that the incident was the second attempt on her husband's life in two years and claimed that it was part of a larger political conspiracy.
“This second attack on Sukhbir ji in two years is part of a well-planned political conspiracy, hatched since 2015, to disrupt peace in Punjab,” she claimed.
Sukhbir Badal had survived an attempt on his life at the entrance of the Golden Temple in December 2024.
Kaur further said those seeking to create divisions in Punjab would not succeed in weakening her husband’s resolve.
Sukhbir shifted to Gurugram hospital
Sukhbir Badal was discharged from a hospital in Nanded on Friday and was subsequently admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for surgery.
Before leaving the Nanded hospital, he alleged that some forces were attempting to disturb peace in Punjab and across the country and viewed the Shiromani Akali Dal as an obstacle to their plans.
He also said he would not allow “anti-national and anti-Punjab forces” to take control of the situation or disturb peace in the state.