The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday condemned the attack on forest employees in Mohali allegedly by the sand mafia. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal accused the Congress-ruled state government of patronising the sand mafia in Punja.

In a statement issued, the SAD chief said the heinous attack on forest employees on 19 June, proved that sand mafia has become so bold that it is ready to murder government officials coming in the way of its illegal operations.

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Accusing Congress government of having hand in glove with the sand mafia, Badal said that during the Shahkot by-elections the state government shielded party candidate Hardev Singh Laadi despite grave charges of illegal sand mining against him.

“No action was taken despite video graphics evidence against Laadi in the form of a sting. This gave a fillip to the sand mafia which is now looting and pillaging the natural resources of the state without any fear of retribution,” he said.

The SAD chief said the party would now approach Governor VP Singh Badnore and ask him to direct the state government to take action against the sand mafia.

He said the issue of the environmental damage being caused by illegal mining including changing the course of the Sutlej River at places would also be submitted to the Governor in the form of a memorandum.

Badal claimed all sand mining operations came to light immediately after formation of Congress government with the Irrigation and Power minister Rana Gurjit Singh acquiring sand mines in the name of his Nepalese cook and office staff.

He said as many as 17 mines were bagged by family members and associates of Congress legislators on the basis of single bids which itself proved how the entire sanding mining auction process was vitiated by the Congress party.

Meanwhile, a SAD and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) joint delegation visited the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on Wednesday and inquired into the health of two forest employees who were murderously assaulted by the sand mafia.

The delegation was led by SAD vice-president Dr Daljit Singh Cheema and BJP general secretary organisation Dinesh Kumar, inquired into the health of injured forest employees.