Plot to assassinate me, my son: ex-Punjab CM Badal
Chandigarh, Sep 16 : Accusing the state's Congress government of encouraging radical elements, former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday claimed there was a plot to assassinate him and his son Sukhbir Badal.
"I have been been informed by the police about a plot to assassinate me and my son. But we neither frighten others nor are going to be frightened by such reports or threats," Badal said at the Shiromani Akali Dal's 'Jabar Virodh Rally' in Faridkot town.
"I am ready to sacrifice myself and my son Sukhbir (Shiromani Akali Dal chief) for the cause of peace and communal harmony in the state," Badal said.
"The Khalsa Panth represents a history of sacrifices for upholding the values of peace, communal harmony and 'Sarbat da bhala' as enshrined in the teachings of Sikh Gurus," he said.
The rally was held amid a standoff with the state's Congress government led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh which had earlier refused permission for the SAD rally. The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday allowed the SAD rally.
A handful of radical elements protesting against sacrilege incidents reported during the previous SAD-BJP government (2007-2017) protested against the rally on Sunday. Tight security was in place at the rally venue to keep these elements away.
Badal accused the Congress government of encouraging the radical elements and thus playing with fire to disturb peace in Punjab.
"The Congress is in collusion with forces that put Punjab through a period of turmoil, violence and bloodshed. It is the same old nexus between the Congress and some elements rejected by the Khalsa Panth who are now masquerading as panthic. They are up to their old games and conspiracies," the veteran Akali leader said.
"The Congress' objective is to fulfil its old dream of grabbing control of the Sikh shrines and historic religious institutions. The main target is the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee... that is why the Congress is using these so-called panthic outfits as their front men."
He warned that all this could set Punjab on fire again and apealed to the people to be vigilant against being used as cannon fodder by "these elements who can get others' children killed to promote their own petty selfish interests".
Badal claimed that violence in Punjab is on Congress agenda since its government wants to divert people's attention from its failure to fulfil election promises and come up to public expectations.
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had stooped to new lows in political discourse by using derogatory words against his nonagenarian father.
Amarinder Singh is a "completely unethical person" and that "everyone is acquainted with his past and character," the SAD chief claimed.
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‘Pay worker before sweat dries’: Madras HC invokes prophet’s teaching to settle lawyer’s dues
Madurai: Invoking the teachings of Prophet Muhammad to emphasise principles of fairness in labour jurisprudence, the Madras High Court has directed the Madurai City Municipal Corporation to settle the unpaid legal fees of a former standing counsel. Justice G.R. Swaminathan, in an order passed on Saturday, referred to the prophetic principle, “pay the worker before his sweat dries”, observing that this tenet is a facet of fairness eminently applicable to service and labour law.
The court was hearing a plea filed by P. Thirumalai, who served as the standing counsel for the Madurai City Municipal Corporation for over 14 years, from 1992 to 2006. Thirumalai contended that the civic body had failed to pay outstanding dues amounting to Rs 13.05 lakh for his representation in approximately 818 cases before the Madurai District Courts. The current petition was filed after the Corporation rejected a substantial part of his claim following a previous court direction to consider his representation.
Addressing the practical difficulties faced by the petitioner, who stated he could not afford to engage a clerk to obtain certified copies of the 818 judgments to substantiate his work, Justice Swaminathan devised a pragmatic solution. The court permitted the former counsel to approach the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) with a list of cases. The DLSA has been directed to procure the certified copies within two months, with the costs to be borne by the corporation and later deducted from the petitioner’s final settlement.
While the court acknowledged the Corporation's stance that fee bills must be in order, it ordered the civic body to settle the dues within two months of receiving the records from the DLSA.
However, citing the petitioner’s 18-year delay in challenging the non-payment, the court ruled that the settlement would be made without interest.
Beyond the specific relief granted to the petitioner, the single-judge bench made strong observations regarding the administration of legal fees and public funds. Justice Swaminathan termed the petitioner’s claim a "pittance" compared to the number of his appearances and expressed concern over the disparity in payments within the legal field. He noted that while "scandalously high amounts" are often paid to certain senior counsels and law officers by government and quasi-government bodies, others struggle to receive basic dues. The court observed that good governance requires public funds to be drawn on a measured basis and not distributed capriciously to a favoured few.
The Judge also flagged the "embarrassment" caused by the high number of Additional Advocate Generals (AAGs) in the state, noting that the appointment of nearly a dozen officers leads to work being allotted unnecessarily. He criticized the frequent practice of government counsel seeking adjournments on the pretext that an engaged AAG is appearing elsewhere. Justice Swaminathan expressed hope that such practices would cease in the Madurai Bench and that the Additional Advocate Generals would "turn a new leaf" from 2026.
