After over a week of turmoil over back-to-back incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib, Punjab is trudging back to normalcy. Central forces are keeping a tight vigil in the areas rattled by violence over desecration of the holy book.
Ten companies of paramilitary forces and Punjab Police personnel are keeping a tight vigil in the wake of protests by Sikh organisations, including hardliners in parts of the State, including Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Faridkot.
The agitating Sikh protesters have shifted their dharnas and blockades to the inner roads with most of the national highways, criss-crossing the state, witnessing normal traffic movement.
However, at Panjgrain village in Faridkot, from where the two alleged prime accused in Bargari village incident belong, protests continued as locals alleged that the brothers were innocent.
Traffic movement on Harike Pattan bridge at Tarn Taran and Beas in Amritsar has been restored, the police said.
Meanwhile, the hardliners among Sikh politicians and religious preachers feel that the two youths arrested by police in connection with the alleged act of sacrilege in Bargari village are innocent.
SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann said that until the ‘bir’ (scriptures) stolen from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village was recovered and subjected to forensic tests to confirm that the pages found in Bargari were from it, it was hard to believe the police theory. “The police story has gaps,” Mann charged.
Hardliners alleged that all arrested accused were either baptised Sikhs or gurdwara priests and “none of whom could have done it”. They also demanded a CBI probe.
Meanwhile, at many villages in Punjab, posters have come up seeking ban on entry of Akali leaders in their villages following the incidents of sacrilege.
In view of the incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib at various places, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has asked all district presidents to organise ‘akhand path’ (recitation of hymns) in their areas.
Punjab is under turmoil after series of desecration of ‘birs’ at seven Sikh shrines across the state and killing of two youths in police firing at Behbal Kalan in Faridkot district of the State.
The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been demanding imposition of President’s Rule in the State even as ADGP IPS Sahota said “investigations are under process.”
FARIDKOT SSP TO BE CHARGESHEETED
Faridkot’s former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Charanjit Sharma is set to be chargesheeted for alleged negligence and police firing on the Sikh activists, who had been protesting sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari in Faridkot district. Sources said that Sharma, who was Faridkot SSP when the holy book was first reported stolen from a gurdwara there, is facing suspension for lapses in the line of duty.
lUDHIANA MlA ARRESTED
A day after a case was registered against Independent MlA Simarjit Singh Bains for allegedly hurting and obstructing policemen from discharging their duty, the Punjab police on Thursday arrested him from his residence in ludhiana. Station House Officer (SHO) Sumit Sood said that Bains would be produced in a local court on Friday.
ludhiana Police Commissioner Pramraj Singh Umranangal said that Bains escaped from the police at Vardhman Chowk on Wednesday while on his way to Chandigarh to ‘gherao’ the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
As per the FIR registered against Bains, he had created “obstructions in the line of duty of public servant after breaking nakas” while escaping from the police custody.
It was also alleged that the MlA misbehaved and roughed up policemen deployed on the duty at Chandigarh road, police said. He had also made provocative speeches, police added.
AAP lEADERS MEET RAJNATH SINGH
The senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday met the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh regarding violence in Punjab after the desecration of the Sikh holy book and sought the Centre’s intervention.
During their 15-minute meeting, AAP leaders submitted a memorandum to the Union Minister saying that the situation in Punjab was out of control and that lawlessness had become the order of the day.
They sought the Minister’s intervention in keeping a check on the situation.
Party’s Punjab affair’s in-charge Sanjay Singh, along with Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, national spokesperson Ashutosh, and others, accused the Punjab Government of delaying a probe into the desecration of the Sikh holy book.
Singh said that no steps were taken for four months to stop the violence. “The State Government has totally failed to work in the interest of the people of Punjab,” he said.
Urging Rajnath Singh to ensure peace in the State, Mann conveyed that the situation in Punjab was “very disturbing” in the wake of recent untoward incidents. The leaders also brought up the growing menace of drugs in Punjab. “The drug lords are being shielded by the State Government openly which is a serious cause of concern. This must be checked and immediate action should be taken to save the generations of Punjab,” Mann said.
Sources said that the Home Minister gave them a patient hearing and told that he has already spoken to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and reviewed with him the prevailing situation in the State.
BITTA ASKS PARTIES TO ABSTAIN FROM STATEMENTS HURTING PEACE
All India Anti-Terrorist Front chairman MS Bitta on Thursday said that the political parties should stop giving statements which may disturb peace in the State. “Punjab has gone through difficult times and seen its worst days during the militancy period. Peace returned to the state after people like (former chief minister) Sardar Beant Singh gave their sacrifices,” Bitta said.
“It is a sensitive issue. Everyone must understand that the situation is fluid. Political parties must not give out such statements that will add fuel to the fire. For the sake of Punjab, the parties must rise above their narrow political interests and not play politics on sensitive issues,” Bitta said.
“All parties should speak in one voice so that it conveys a stern message to those elements who are again bent upon disturbing the hard-earned peace in the State,” he added.
Reacting on the recent spate of protests against reports of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib, Bitta warned that Punjab is a border state and if political parties indulge in blame game, anti-social and foreign elements may take advantage of the situation.