Amarinder accuses Badals of 'fanning communal hatred'

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh Monday lashed out at the Badals for allegedly "fanning communal hatred" and warned that those involved in sacrilege cases will not be spared.

Amarinder flayed Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patriarch Parkash Singh Badal for allegedly diverting people's attention from the findings of the Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh Commission on sacrilege incidents, which had squarely blamed the previous regime for desecration of holy scriptures.

An official release quoting the chief minister said that he reiterated his resolve to bring to book all the culprits involved in the various blasphemous acts.

Notably, as per findings of the Commission, the then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal was "aware" of the proposed action of the police in dispersing the protesters at Kotkapura in Faridkot by using force.

The CM said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) would thoroughly investigate the nearly 200 incidents of sacrilege of holy scriptures, including Guru Granth Sahib, Gutka Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Gita and Quran Sharif.

To a query on the proposed Congress rally in Parkash Singh Badal's home ground Lambi, Amarinder said he would expose the "malicious" intent of Badals to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state, through his party's political right to hold a rally in any part of the state.

Taking a dig at senior Badal's claim that he was ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of Punjab, Amarinder said, "Better ask Mr. Badal first, who had sought his sacrifice?"