Expressing serious concern over law and order situation deteriorating every day in the State, Punjab Congress on Sunday asked the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Bajwa to own up responsibility for the incident and order a fair and time-bound enquiry into the matter.
The State party chief Partap Singh Bajwa said that it appeared that the State has turned into the best haven for the murders of the NRIs with the latest victim being UK hotelier Ranjit Singh Powar.
“Powar landed in Punjab and within hours, he disappeared and the police announced that the body had been thrown into the Bhakra canal. It took 12 days for the police to reach the conclusion after the complaint was lodged,” he said.
Bajwa said that this was not the first case of the killing of an NRI visiting Punjab and it appeared that the State has turned into the killing field as the law and order has completely collapsed with the police having become a willing tools in the hands of the ruling Akali Dal leadership and its jathedars.
The State Congress chief asked the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to tell the people of Punjab about the state of affairs of law and order situation in the State.
“Every year, Punjab Government organises NRI sammelan with great pomp and show, spending lavishly the tax payers money on their hospitality. They talk about NRI investment, NRI police stations, NRI safety… This is a glaring example of NRI safety what has happened to Ranjit Singh Powar,” he said.
Bajwa added that the Chief Minister should owe responsibility for this incident and order fair and time-bound enquiry into it.
“Punjab has become Wild West where no one was safe. Powar’s assassination is an example of the State having achieved this notoriety as going by the police version, the killing was planned in UK and executed in this State,” he said.