Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief, Sukhbir Singh Badal filed a defamation suit against Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, seeking Rs 1 crore in damages from him for making “malicious” allegations against the Badal family.
The defamation suit was welcomed by Mann saying that it will give him a chance to expose the “misdeed” related to the Badal family.
The suit was filed in a court in Mukstar district as his reference to Mann’s accusation levelled during the ‘Main Punjab Bolda Haan’ debate held at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana in November. However, the debate was skipped by Congress, SAD and BJP.
The suit alleged that Mann indulged in a dramatic endeavour on November 1 by asserting that precious Punjab waters were taken by the plaintiff and his family to their farmland in Balasar village of Haryana by constructing a private canal. Despite having knowledge of the real facts of the case, the CM made this “scurrilous” statement.
According to Badal, Mann was regularly making false, unsubstantiated and scurrilous statements against him, adding that the chief minister had portrayed him as well as the Badal family as “highly corrupt people who had looted Punjab besides calling them anti- Sikh and anti-Punjab”.
“All this has been done as part of a preplanned conspiracy of the chief minister in league with his political bosses,” Badal said in a statement.”
At an event in Sangrur, Mann said that he will make a plea for daily hearing of the case to ensure that people are apprised about the “sins” of Badals. Mann also alleged that Badals, for the sake of constructing a canal to their farmhouse by Haryana as reward for his “treachery” with the state, they “ignored” the interests of the state.
He stated, “Not only this the business of Badals in terms of hotels, villas, transport and others have flourished at the cost of the progress of the state, which will be told to the people in detail.” Mann said Badal is contesting the case for saving his property whereas he will go to the court to save the people. Those people who used to claim that they will rule the state for 25 years have been totally rejected by the people, said Mann.
Badal’s counsel Manjinder Singh Brar, who filed the suit, noted that sufficient time had been given to the CM to apologize for his conduct as a legal notice was issued on November 17, 2023.
The suit also stated that the damages of Rs 1 crore when awarded would be distributed among families of martyrs who laid down their lives for the country.
While speaking to the reports later, Badal said Mann has a habit of lying and his politics is based on lies. “Now, he will have to appear in court and explain his lies. We will not let him misuse his position as chief minister to indulge in slander,” said Badal
