Muktsar Sahib (Punjab), Jan 14 (IANS): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal on Sunday appealed to the people to extend support to the Punjab Bachao Yatra starting from February 1 to save the future of the state and its people.

Addressing a political conference at the historic Maghi Mela here, Badal said: "We have to save Punjab from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as well as its Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann who has bankrupted the state and destroyed its economy besides failing on all fronts by betraying each and every section of society."

He also appealed to Punjabis to shun the AAP-Congress alliance being formed to contest the next parliamentary elections jointly.

"Both these parties have looted you and the state and now they propose to loot your vote by arriving at an unholy alliance which is detrimental to the interests of the state."

Badal also appealed to all Akali leaders who had parted ways with the parent party on one pretext or another to return back to the party fold.

"Our state is under attack from the Congress and AAP, both of which are jointly responsible for our present plight. We must defeat their unholy alliance to ensure Punjab wins."

He added only a regional party like SAD whose sole purpose was to protect the welfare of Punjabis and fight to secure their rights could take the state forward.

"This will be a true homage to Parkash Singh Badal," he added.

Badal also urged Punjabis to recognise the true character of both the Congress and AAP. He said the Congress had attacked Sri Darbar Sahib with tanks and mortars in 1984 besides sponsoring the genocide of Sikhs in Delhi and across the country. He said similarly the AAP government had attacked Gurdwara Akal Bunga Sahib in Sultanpur Lodhi and fired on the peaceful people.

He said both parties were anti-Punjab and had teamed up to weaken the SAD as they knew that it alone stood in their way to achieving their nefarious goals.