Sacrilege: Mann flays state govt for ‘inaction’

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 7

SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann on Saturday alleged that the Congress government in the state has miserably failed to deliver justice to the Sikhs even a year after the culmination of Bargari Insaf Morcha over the Bargari sacrilege issue.

Addressing a press conference here today, Mann said: “The state government had promised to release Sikh prisoners, who are languishing in various jails across the country for over 25 years. It had also assured to arrest all those responsible for the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib, but nothing has been done so far.”

Mann alleged that the government was backtracking from its promises, despite the fact that its ministers had given a word to the Sikh sangat in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib. He also questioned the resumption of probe into the Bargari sacrilege by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). “When the Punjab Vidhan Sabha had passed a resolution, stating that the state police would investigate into the matter, the question of CBI initiating a probe doesn’t arise,” he said. According to him, law and order was a state subject as per the constitution and the Centre in no way could interfere into it.

Mann alleged that the Centre was trying to shield the Badals and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh. He also lashed out at the Union Government for taking a u-turn over the issue of commuting Balwant Singh Rajoana’s death sentence. He said such decisions might lead to a confrontation between the Centre and the Sikhs.

He also condemned the Centre’s move to reduce the number of firearms permissible on a licence from three to one in Punjab. He said the Centre should understand that Punjab was a border state and the people needed firearms for their safety and security. Regarding their future course of action over the sacrilege issue, he said they would hold a meeting with other outfits that were part of the Bargari Morcha.