Taking on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday equated the atrocious act of displaying Harmandar Sahib’s picture on the title cover of its election manifesto along with its party symbol ‘broom’ as “blasphemy”, which has terribly hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community not within the State but across the globe.
Badal, addressing the media persons on the sidelines of his Sangat Darshan program in Ropar assembly segment, asserted that this crime committed by AAP was not merely a crime but a heinous one, which was unpardonable.
“Their psyche to show disrespect to Sikh religion has come to the fore, through this disgraceful act which amounted to sacrilege,” said Badal.
At the same time, Badal justified the legal action likely to be taken by the SGPC against the guilty for this dastardly act saying that the law of the land would take its own course.
“The state has already enacted the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, that seeks life imprisonment for sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib — by adding section 295 AA in the IPC — and enhancement of punishment under section 295 of IPC — injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class — from two to 10 years,” he added.
“This inhuman incident on the part of AAP spoke volumes of their insensitivity towards the respect for holy scriptures like Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagvad Gita and Quran Sharif. likewise, the Congress is also the same stuff which orchestrated a military attack on Darbar Sahib, which is still afresh in the memory of Sikh community,” said Badal.
Commenting on senior Congress leader Sunil Jakhar’s ultimatum to ensure favorable response from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on SYl issue, Badal said that it was unbecoming of a leader like Jakhar’s stature, who was fully seized of the matter as this case was already pending in the Apex Court and final verdict was expected anytime.
He said: “How could Prime Minister intervene in this matter at this point of time when the case was already subjudice in the Apex Court.”
Mincing no words, Badal said that Jakhar was playing to the gallery to score brownie points in the wake of electoral politics. “Jakhar is well aware that how the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the then Punjab Chief Minister to dig SYl canal and she personally laid its foundation stone in the presence of senior state Congress leadership including Capt Amarinder Singh and several other stalwarts of the party,” he said.
He advised Jakhar to play a constructive role over this issue to safeguard the interests of the state for the betterment of its people rather politicking on it.
On the issue of air and water pollution in the vicinity of villages around Ambuja Cement Plant, Badal announced to constitute a high level committee comprising Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) chairman, Rural Development and Panchayats director, Chief Engineer Ropar Thermal Plant, Chief Engineer Water Supply and Sanitation, Chief Engineer Drainage, Punjab State Power Corporation limited chief engineer and Ropar Deputy Commissioner to address the issue on priority and suggest permanent solution to this problem.
The decision was immediately taken by Badal in view of several complaints or grievances received by him during his Sangat Darshan.