Chandigarh, Aug 20 (IANS): Terming the incident of a shoe being hurled at him as a "deep-rooted political conspiracy", Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Wednesday said "political parties must refrain from stooping too low for countering their political rivals". Badal blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the incident.

Badal, while speaking to media at an event in Longowal village to mark the 29th martyrdom day of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, said: "It is unfortunate that the AAP leadership had conceived this act just to counter the growing popularity of Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government in the state."

He said that the incident was a part of a "bigger conspiracy".

Despite demands from various quarters for him to forgive the shoe-thrower, Badal said the law would take its own course against those behind the crime.

The shoe was hurled at Badal by an unemployed youth in Issru village near Ludhiana Friday during a function to celebrate Independence Day. The shoe missed Badal but the police arrested the youth, Bikram, a member of the AAP in Punjab.

The incident acquired political overtones with the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal blaming the AAP for the incident.

Akali Dal leaders alleged that AAP MP from Sangrur Bhagwant Mann was behind the incident.