SAD demands judicial probe

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 21

Demanding a judicial inquiry into the Amritsar tragedy, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) core committee today sought immediate sacking of Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu besides a stern action against organisers of the Dasehra function where onlookers were mowed down by a train on Friday.

A press note issued by the party said the core committee also sought registration of a murder case against Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife who was a Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) during the SAD-BJP government.

The committee met under the chairmanship of former CM Parkash Singh Badal. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and other senior leaders attended the meeting. The committee rejected the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Congress government and demanded a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The committee condemned the “cover-up” launched by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and demanded the registration of a fresh case as per the statements of victims’ kin.

The committee also mooted Rs 1-crore compensation to the kin of every victim besides a government job to one member of each affected family. It said a government programme should be initiated to adopt children of the victims.