Govt shielding culprits, allege Sikh organisations

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 10

Activists of various Sikh organisations condemned the lack of action against the culprits of the Bargari and Behbal Kalan desecration incidents. The activists said the Congress party had ensured of action against those responsible for the Bargari and Behbal Kalan desecration incidents before the elections. But after coming to power, the party is shielding the real culprits of the incidents.

The various Sikh groups while addressing the press on the issue on Friday alleged that the CM and state government were preventing the names of key police officials in the case-related FIRs. They also did not probe the Dera Sirsa link in the Bargari killings and also tried to shield the role of the incumbent government and demanded that the findings of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission be recommended.

The Sikh groups which addressed the press on the issue included the Youth Welfare Federation Punjab, Dastar-e-Khalsa Youth Club, Jalandhar, Bhai Ghanaiya Ji Sewak Society Jalandhar, Shan-E-Khalsa Jalandhar, Sikhs for Equality Punjab, Sikh Talmel Committee Punjab, Khalsa Naujawan Sewa Society Punjab, Dusht Daman Dal Khalsa Jalandhar, Dashmesh Phulwari Jalandhar, Mata Ganga Ji Sewa Sociary Jalandhar.

They said it was perceived that the previous Akali government in the state was shielding the culprits of the Behbal Kalan and Bargari firings, but even the Congress government had done little to ensure justice.

Activists said the present government had failed to diligently implement the findings of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission constituted by the government. They said the state government was shying away from conducting proper action against the accused in the Behbal Kalan and Bargari firing incidents and was also reluctant in probing the role of the then DGP Sumedh Saini.

Activists said those accused in the Bargari firings were Dera Sirsa supporters, but neither the CM nor the DGP were issuing any clear statement about the same. They also said the chief of the SIT, Ranbir Singh Khatra, had made it clear that the Dera Sirsa supporters carried out the act.

The activists demanded a special session of the Vidhan Sabha, in which the findings of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission should be presented and the recommendations of the report should also be implemented.

Speaking against the decision to hand over the Behbal Kalan and Bargari cases to the CBI, activists said these were only tactics to delay the case and save the then government leaders from the political fallout of the case.