Punjab CM vows action against sacrilege accused ahead of polls

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Sunday said anyone found guilty by the Special Investigation Team, probing the sacrilege incidents and police firing cases, would not be spared.

He also called upon people to “wipe out” the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) from both, the state and national politics by voting the Congress to power on all the 13 seats in Punjab in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a well-attended gathering here at Lambi, the home turf of Badals, Amarinder Singh accused former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal of lying about not having any knowledge about the police firing in Faridkot that took place in the wake of the Bargari sacrilege case back in 2015.

“How could the chief minister of the state not know about such an important development,” Amarinder Singh asked, pointing out that the then Director General of Police (DGP) had spoken to Badal as well as the Inspector General of the state before using force.

“If, despite this, Badal did not know about the incident he should be ashamed,” he added.

Stressing that his government had set up the Justice (Retd) Ranjit Singh Commission to expose the truth, the chief minister flayed the Badals for "failing to implement" the report of their own Zora Commission, formed to probe the sacrilege and firing cases.

"Beadbi (sacrilege) will not be tolerated at any cost,” he said making it clear that his government would come down hard on those found guilty of sacrilege.

However, the chief minister clarified that he would not indulge in political vendetta and only the guilty would be punished as per the law.

“People ask me everyday when will you arrest Badals. When the SIT submits a report, then a decision will be taken who will be arrested or not," he said.

"There is a law and constitution in the country… We will go as per law and investigations (conducted by SIT),” he added.

Amarinder Singh also accused the Badals of "destroying" the lives of youth and farmers by failing to act on the issues of drugs and farm debts.

The chief minister further asked the crowd to ensure that a democratic government was formed in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Punjab Congress had informed the party high command that there was no need of an alliance in the state, he said, exhorting the people to vote the party to power with a sweeping mandate.

On the occasion, the Punjab Congress chief also declared that the party will win all the 13 parliamentary seats in the state.

The chief minister released 'Mission13' poster of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) to mark the launch of the party's Lok Sabha campaign.

He promised to fulfil all the demands of the people of Lambi, which SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal had “failed” to do, in spite of being elected from the constituency multiple times.

The chief minister came down heavily on the Akalis for the political “victimisation” unleashed during their rule, saying that misuse of power was the hallmark of their government.

Pointing to the establishment of Justice (Retd) Mehtab Singh Commission by his government, Amarinder said 4,451 complaints of false cases had so far been received, of which Commission recommended the cancellation of 355 cases.

(With inputs from agencies.)