Bhagwant Mann behind shoe throwing on Parkash Singh Badal: SAD

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann of being behind the recent shoe hurling incident on the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at Issru near Ludhiana. SAD General Secretary and core committee member Maheshinder Singh Grewal urged the AAP to take action against its Sangrur MP.

Grewal, in a statement here, said Mann was "the kingpin behind the extremely provocative and vulgar act" at the Issru conference in Ludhiana district on Independence Day. An unemployed youth had thrown his shoe allegedly towards Badal while he was on the dais during a political conference in the memory of martyr Karnail Singh of Goa Liberation Movement on August 15 at Issru, around 50 kms from Ludhiana.

After the incident police had arrested four persons, including the main accused, whom police described as a convenor of AAP's Dhanaula committee. Accused Vikram Kumar, convener of AAP Dhanaula Committee, was held from the spot but his accomplices who, police said, had "updated" Mann about the incident were arrested later. Grewal alleged it was increasingly becoming clear that the persons involved in the conspiracy to disrupt the Issru conference were in touch with Mann. Meanwhile, attempts to reach out Mann remained futile as he was not available for comment and also he did not respond to phone calls.