'Emotional attack': Union minister defends Sukhbir Badal's attacker
What's the story
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has come out in defense of Narain Singh Chaura, the man who shot at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Bittu called the incident an "emotional attack," not a terrorist act.
He said, "When...Badal admitted the sacrilege, Chaura got emotional and fired a bullet at him, which missed and hit the wall."
The incident took place outside Amritsar's Golden Temple, where Badal was serving as a 'sewadar' for his party's past religious mistakes.
Legal debate
Chaura's background and Bittu's stance on legal action
Chaura, a former terrorist linked to the Khalistani movement, was caught by police after his shot missed Badal. An FIR has been registered against him.
Bittu also lauded Chaura as a "gem of the nation" and recommended no action should be taken against him.
He has appealed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to cover any legal expenses if charges are pressed against Chaura.
Legal aid appeal
Bittu urges SGPC to cover Chaura's potential legal costs
Bittu further contrasted the Akali Dal's stance on Chaura with that of Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was convicted of assassinating former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
"When Beant Singh was killed, Akali Dal used to say that Balwant Rajoana had shot him in an emotional manner. So now we also say the same. If Akali Dal can embrace Balwant Rajoana, then they should show a big heart even now," Bittu said.
Extremism surge
Attack highlights rising extremism in Punjab
Per multiple reports, the attacker, Chaura, has a long rap sheet and is linked to the pro-Khalistan outfit Babbar Khalsa International. They include smuggling weapons from Pakistan into Punjab in 1984.
In Pakistan, Chaura is said to have written a book about guerrilla warfare and "seditious" literature.
He was also considered the mastermind in the Burail jailbreak in 2004.
In the jailbreak case, four inmates, including killers of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant, escaped after digging a 94-foot tunnel.