Updated November 7th, 2021 at 23:31 IST
'Channi govt instructed Punjab DGP to frame Badal family in sacrilege case,' alleges SAD
The SAD chief told media persons in Phagwara that the Channi government should take action against the culprits and not play politics over the issue
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Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday alleged that the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government has instructed the Punjab DGP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota to frame the Badal family in the 2015 sacrilege and Kotkapura firing cases.
The SAD chief, while addressing a press conference in Phagwara in the presence of Punjab BSP president, Jasvir Singh Garhi, said that the Channi government should take action against the culprits and not play politics over the issue. Badal claimed that he was not getting either defensive or apprehensive over the issue but found the statements of CM Channi and Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on the issue “amusing”.
The SAD supremo threatened to take legal action against the Congress government and Punjab’s Director General of Police if false witnesses were arranged to frame the Badals.
He claimed that CM Channi and his deputy were attending the five-member SIT meetings and violating high court directives for conducting an independent probe into the sacrilege case.
Regretting that the sacrilege incident occurred during the previous Akali-led government, Badal said that he has earnestly prayed to “wipe out” those who were responsible for the act as well those who are doing politics over it. “Punjabis and Panth wanted culprits to be behind bars and not politics over the issue,” he said.
CM @CHARANJITCHANNI is forcing Pb Police chief to implicate top Akali leadership in sacrilege & police firing cases. CM & HM @Sukhjinder_INC are daily holding meetings with SIT formed at instance of HC to probe Kotkapura firing case to influence probe against Akali leadership.1/4 pic.twitter.com/WoDJqH4Olj
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal)
I have specific information that DGP IPS Sahota has been told to identify those who can implicate Badal family. This is being done despite the fact that earlier probe by then IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh was junked & HC stated that SIT's functioning shouldn't be interfered.2/4
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal)
It's a matter of sorrow for us that we could not deliver justice on sacrilege issue. CM @CHARANJITCHANNI is politicising it as @capt_amarinder did, due to which the culprits are still out at large. 3/4
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal)
The Sikh Sangat & Punjabis are waiting for justice and it's our top priority to ensure it, once the Akali Dal-BSP alliance forms the govt. Anyone going in for implication for innocent, will not only face judicial enquiries but also conviction proceedings. 4/4
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal)
'Congress after Badal family to coverup internal crisis'
Reminding the Congress government that they have come to power over two major issues – promising to punish those responsible for sacrilege and curbing drugs menace, he alleged that it has failed miserably to solve both.
“They (Congress) are after the Badal family because they want to divert public attention from their total failure as a government as well as to cover up the war between Channi, Navjot Sidhu and (deputy chief minister) Sukhjinder Randhawa as to who will be the chief ministerial face in 2022 Punjab assembly polls,” he remarked.
Badal was the deputy chief minister and held the home portfolio when incidents of desecration of religious texts took place and the subsequent police firing at people protesting against it occurred in Faridkot in 2015.
(With inputs from agency)
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Published November 7th, 2021 at 23:31 IST