Congress is hurting its arch rival Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) where it is hurting. After cornering the ‘Sikh party’ inside the House during the recently concluded Vidhan Sabha session over the issue of sacrilege, the Congress has now jumped into the battlefield to further target the Akali Dal.
Attacking from left, right and centre, the Congress has deputed its senior leaders, Ministers, and MLAs to take on Akali Dal by making visits in the sacrilege-hit areas.
For the same, Punjab Congress president and Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar, Cabinet Ministers — Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Balbir Singh Sidhu, and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Faridkot MLA Kushaldeep Singh Kiki Dhillon, besides dozen others, are making rounds of most affected areas of Bargari, Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Behbal Kalan, among others.
A series of unremitting sacrilege cases of all religious texts, with majority cases of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, has rocked the state in 2015, with stray instances still coming in light every now and then.
The improper handling of such cases, coupled with related firing incidents at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura that killed two, has cost the erstwhile SAD-BJP Government embarrassing defeat during the 2017 State Assembly elections, limiting the combine to just 18 seats, including 15 of SAD.
The issue has again came to light with the Congress-led Punjab Government tabling the report of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission, set up to look into the sacrilege cases and the firing incidents.
Even as the SAD “rejected” the report dubbing the Commission “sarakaari”, the Congress, along with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demanded strictest action against the SAD, especially the then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini for giving firing orders at peaceful protesters.
The Commission has also recommended compensation to those killed in police firing, with the Congress Government already giving away Rs one crore compensation to the kin of the deceased, against Rs 75 lakhs recommended by the Commission, along with a job. Besides, Rs 50 lakhs were also given to those injured, along with the reimbursement of their medical treatment.
To ensure that the issue would not die down, the Congress leaders are visiting the houses of the victims.
The Congress leaders assured that the granthi (priest) of Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village will be given Rs five lakh, while the two victim Panjgrain village would be given Rs 15 lakh each along with a job.
Jakhar alleged that SAD president Sukhbir Badal and former Chief Minister used a religious organization for “their personal interests”. “At Sukhbir’s behest, the Akal Takht jathedar and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) apologize Dera Sacha Sauda chief,” said Jakhar.
He said that Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report clearly stated that the then Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, DGP, including high civil and police officers were fully aware of the incidents and it was only at their behest that the police opened fire at them.
Already, SAD is facing criticism, not only from its rivals, but also from within, with many leaders outing in their papers in protest.
As of now, the Akali Dal is facing its worst ever crisis with the senior taksali leaders eve questioning the current leadership, with many going in public.