Justice Zora Singh who probed sacrilege incidents joins AAP

Ananya Panda
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 24

Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday got a shot in its arm with Justice (retd) Zora Singh, who chaired a commission set up in 2015 to probe sacrilege incidents in Punjab, joining the party and Punjab's Garshankar MLA Jai Kishan Singh Rodi returning to its fold leaving the rebel Sukhpal Kahira-led group.

After a formal announcement by party's Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann at AAP's headquarters in Delhi, Justice Zora said the successive governments of Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh deliberately "failed" to act on his report.

"The report I submitted within seven months of my joining the inquiry into the incidents of desecration was not acted upon. First the Badal government chose not to disclose and act, and later the Capt Amarinder Singh government did not take any action against Badal. The matter has just been politicised," Justice Zora told the Tribune.

Sharing the reason behind his association with AAP, Justice Zora Singh said it was Delhi government's work pertaining to mohalla clinics, revamping government schools and scheme of Rs 1 crore ex-gratia compensation for kin of martyrs, primarily that made him join the AAP.

Before the party made the announcement in the presence of Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, MLA Amarjeet Singh Sandhoa, among others, Justice Zora met AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia.

"Justice Jora Singh (retired) joins Aam Aadmi Party. He has served Punjab judicial services for 35 years. He is known for his honesty and commitment for justice. People of a Punjab now will be benefitted from his knowledge and experience for clean politics," tweeted Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia. Re-tweeting the same, Kejriwal, said the AAP is very fortunate to have him.

Upping the ante, Punjab MP Mann alleged both the Akali Dal and Congress governments in Punjab have struck a deal to be in power for five years each and brushed the commission reports under the carpet.

The AAP MP further accused the Badals and Capt-led parties of playing with the sentiments of the people to serve their own political interests claiming if the recommendations of Justice Zora Singh commission would have been implemented then CM Parkash Singh Badal, deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and others responsible for sacrilege would have behind the bars today.

"Like Justice Zora's report, Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission report was not implemented and an SIT was formed. It is clear that Badals and Capt Amarinder Singh have colluded to cover up reports that don't favour them. Even religious texts are being politicised by both the political parties," Mann alleged.

On Rodi's return, Mann said he would not describe it as "ghar wapsi" but added he had been misled by Khaira who along with another MLA, Kanwar Sandhu, remains suspended due to "anti-party" activities.

On Khaira's recent statement referring to the joinings, Mann retorted that Khiara himself has little credibility as a leader and is a party-hopper being previously with the Congress.

Rodi, who is known to have been instrumental in getting Justice Zora into the AAP, said in Punjab during the last general elections the party gave people four MPs followed by 20 MLAs in state elections and in next year's election the party would certainly wipe out the two parties. "We would tell people about the work done by the Delhi government so that people know which party to vote," he added.