‘Cong responsible for terrorism in Punjab’

Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday blamed Congress for the rise of terrorism during the 80s in Punjab and said it was the alliance forged between the SAD and BJP which provided a healing touch to the people of the state.

The Congress fought the 1984 elections on the plank of communalism, Jaitley alleged, adding that the party pitted the people of Punjab against one another.

“The state’s public was made to suffer for 10 to 12 years, thousands were killed and living a normal life had become impossible,” he said at a gathering here. “After terrorism came to an end in the state, the Akali-BJP government was formed under the leadership of Prakash Singh Badal. We had forged a social alliance, not a political one,” he added. Jaitley said the alliance worked towards healing the wounds of the people and brought back normalcy to the state.