'No one safe in Punjab': Sukhbir Singh Badal on Pastor's killing

CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today strongly condemned the killing of a pastor in Ludhiana and lashed out at the Congress-led government, alleging "no one was safe" in Punjab.

Sultan Masih was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants at Salem Tabri locality in Ludhiana late last night.

In a statement here, the former deputy chief minister, while expressing his condolences to the family of the deceased as well as the Christian community, said it was unfortunate that the state had descended into a "jungle raj" under the Congress rule.

"The Congress government is paying a heavy price for not acting against its own workers who started political killings immediately after the party came into power. The state witnessed sensational killings with one Akali worker being murdered in Gurdaspur after being threatened on the loudspeaker," he alleged.

"In another case, two members of an Akali family were killed in Ferozepur after being threatened on Facebook," he claimed.

Anti-social elements have started a spate of robberies and dacoities. Even gang warfare has intensified in Punjab recently, he added.

The SAD president said what was even more dangerous was the systematic manner in which "anti-national" elements had started attacks against various communities, besides resorting to the desecration of religious books.

He said the killing of the pastor in Ludhiana last night, was another example of the manner in which attempts were being made to create communal tension in the state.