Expressing deep anguish over increase in frequency of incidents of desecration after formation of the Congress government in Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday asked it to take immediate steps to instill trust in the people by solving all such cases and exposing the culprits.
“SAD has all along been asserting that the eruption of sacrilege cases during SAD-BJP rule was part of a deep rooted conspiracy to divide Punjab and ruin peace and communal harmony in the State…Recent events are proving this contention right as sacrilege incidents have increased ever since the new government took charge of the state,” said party MP and general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra.
Chandumajra said that since the Congress was in power now it could no longer take the easy route of pinning blame for the sacrilege incidents on SAD and “it is not only Congress’ responsibility to take steps to stop these incidents but also expose those who are responsible for the same”.
“We have always been maintaining that political elements, who stood to gain the most by defaming the SAD, are behind the desecration incidents…Now, it is up to the new government to expose these elements before the public,” said Chandumajra.
Also giving a call to the people to take up the responsibility of stopping such incidents as a social duty, SAD leader urged the Punjabis “to guard their sacred places”, be it gurdwaras, mandirs or mosques by resorting to self-vigil or even thikri pehra if needed.
“This will send out a clear message to mischievous elements that such desecrations will not be allowed in Punjab,” he said adding that the State police could also do its job by increasing night patrolling in rural areas.
Chandumajra said that continued cases of sacrilege would not only derail peace and development, that the people of the state wanted, but also scare off potential investors. “The government must move fast and get to the bottom of the huge number of sacrilege cases which have been reported from Muktsar, ludhiana, Sangrur, Faridkot, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur in the last 45 days,” he said.
Maintaining that the SAD-BJP Government had solved all cases of sacrilege except for a few whose leads had been given to the new Government, he said that it was unfortunate that the Congress government is adopting a casual and indifferent approach to such an important issue.