Charanjit Singh Channi vows to ensure justice in Punjab sacrilege cases at Golden Temple

Punjab's new Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday morning paid a visit to Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs and vowed to bring justice in 2015 sacrilege cases. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Navjot Singh Sidhu with whom he shouldered Palki Sahib (palanquin carrying Guru Granth Sahib) and attended the kirtan at the sanctum sanctorum in Darbar Sahib for an hour and then spoke to media. Punjab Deputy Chief Ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni were also present. 

Moreover, the Chief Minister also vowed to bring communal harmony. 

"I have come today for blessings of Guru. I will say only one thing that Raj Dharam de anusar chaluga (State will be run by taking guidance from religion). Every religion will be respected. Every caste will be respected. Mutual respect and love in the state will be enhanced and maintained. Religion will be victorious. Also, Justice will be delivered in sacrilege cases,” added Channi.

"Real issues will be discussed now" says PPCC President Sidhu

Launching a political attack, PPCC President Sidhu asserted, 'politics was diverted from real issues and now our Chief Minister will bring politics back on real issues'. Describing CM Channi, Sidhu said that he is 'humble and intelligent'. 'What I have experienced with him, never felt in my 17 years long political life,' mentioned Navjot Singh Sidhu. The PPCC President further expressing his feelings said that Congress can finally serve people without any fear. 'We will honour the merit and dharam di Jaikar hovegi,' said Sidhu.

Punjab sacrilege cases

In 2015, when SAD-BJP was in power in Punjab protests had erupted in Kotkapura in October 2015 and the police had allegedly opened fire. There were a total of three cases including a Saroop (copy) of the holiest of the scriptures of Sikhs the Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in Faridkot district on June 1, 2015. Later in September two abusive posters targeting Sikhs and a couple of Sikh preachers were found pasted in a samadh near the same Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village. In October torn pages (angs) of Guru Granth Sahib, revered as living Guru by the Sikhs, were found scattered in front of the Bargari village gurdwara and on the nearby street early in the morning.