Badal shedding ‘crocodile tears’ over Longowal: Amarinder

Chandigarh, Aug 20 (PTI) Punjab Congress chief AmarinderSingh today alleged that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badalwas shedding "crocodile tears" over the death of HarchandSingh Longowal. "Shedding crocodile tears now is not going to wash yoursins," he told Badal while holding him responsible for Akalileader Longowal’s assassination in 1985. "Badal betrayed him and backed out of the Rajiv-LongowalAccord that eventually led to his assassination," Amarindersaid while rejecting Badal’s allegation during a function thatCongress was to be blamed for Longowal’s assassination. "Either you have lost your conscience or you have lostyour memory as otherwise you wouldn’t be blaming others forthe crime, you very well know, you are yourself guilty of,"the PCC president told Badal, while asking him, "didn’t youreject the Rajiv-Longowal accord and didn’t you raise theemotions and provoke people that led to Sant’s martyrdom". The former chief minister challenged Badal to deny that hedid not reject the accord. "Otherwise apologise to Punjabisfor betraying the Sant Ji and being responsible for hismartyrdom," he told Badal. The PCC president said Badal pushed Longowal towardssigning the accord and later backed out at the last moment. "Not only did you back out, you opposed it so vehementlyand maliciously and exploited the sentiments of people andprovoked them to the extent that the Sant Ji had to pay withhis life," he reminded Badal. PTI CHS KUN ZMNKUN