Punjab's dissident AAP MLAs seeks special session on sacrilege issue

Punjab's dissident AAP legislators today sought a special Assembly session to discuss Justice Ranjit Singh Commission of Inquiry report on sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in different parts of the state in the past.

A 16-member AAP delegation comprising eight sitting MLAs met Punjab governor V P Singh Badnore here urging him to direct the state government to make public the findings of the report and convene a special session.

The delegation also demanded sharing details of the SIT findings on sacrilege incidents with the public and immediate arrest of the police officers named by the Commission of Inquiry.

The delegation also sought appointment of a special and fast track court to deal with the specific sacrilege cases and also the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing case, the AAP rebel Sukhpal Singh Khaira said.

The delegation also urged the Governor to fix a time-frame for the SIT to file chargesheet in the sacrilege cases, he said.

In June, 2015, a series of sacrilege incidents took place in the state, with the first such case in village Burj Jawahar Singh Wala.

The conspiracy culminated in the sacred parts of the holy Granth being found scattered in Bargari village on October 12, 2015, the memorandum submitted by the dissidents MLAs to the Governor said.

Since no headway was made in investigations, protest demonstrations began in the state. On one such peaceful demonstration, police opened fire on the unsuspecting protesters at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015, leading to the killing of two innocent youth of the area, the memorandum said.

The then SAD-BJP government handed over two cases of religious sacrilege to the CBI and appointed Justice Zora Singh Commission of Inquiry, which submitted its report in the run-up to Punjab Vidhan Sabha polls.

Neither was the report made public nor any worthwhile action taken against the guilty, the memorandum said.

The then deputy chief minister and home minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, had announced that the CBI would submit its report within four months. The CBI report is still awaited, with two years having lapsed, the memorandum said.

The Congress government led by Amarinder Singh had made an election promise to fast-track cases of religious sacrilege and police firing, the memorandum said.

On assuming office in March, 2017, the CM, who incidentally is also holding the Home portfolio, appointed Justice Ranjit Singh Commission of Inquiry to probe incidents of police firing at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan.

It also set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by DIG, Ranbir Singh Khatra to probe the conspiracy involving incidents of sacrilege.

Justice Ranjit Singh Commission submitted its report to the government on June 30, 2018.

It pinpointed the role of various police officers present on the spot, besides naming the other senior police officers, who were suspected to have played a key role in the police firing and also thwarting fair police investigations, the memorandum said.

Instead of acting swiftly on the reports of the commission and the SIT, Amarinder Singh government has referred the whole matter to the CBI, which is already sitting over two cases of religious sacrilege for more than two years, the memorandum said.

This is nothing but a delaying tactic, the memorandum alleged.

Besides, Khaira other AAP MLAs among the delegation included Kanwar Sandhu, Nazar Singh Mansahia, Jagdev Singh Kamalu, Master Baldev Singh, Jagdev Singh Hissowal, Pirmal Singh and Jai Krishan Singh Rori.