Punjab CM accuses Badals of 'fanning communal hatred'

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh on Monday lashed out at the Badals for allegedly “fanning communal hatred”, warning that nobody involved in the sacrilege cases would be spared, howsoever powerful they might be.

Talking to mediapersons, the CM flayed Akali veteran Parkash Singh Badal for trying to divert the people’s attention from the findings of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission, which had squarely blamed the previous regime for desecration of holy scriptures.

He reiterated his firm resolve to bring to book all the culprits involved in the various blasphemous acts, saying that the SIT team would thoroughly investigate the nearly 200 incidents of sacrilege of holy scriptures, including Sri Guru Granth Sahibji, Gutka Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Gita and Quran Sharif.

To a query on the proposed Congress rally in Parkash Singh Badal’s home ground Lambi, Capt. Singh 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, Capt. Singh said, “Better ask Mr Badal first who had sought his sacrifice.”

Highlighting the revived positive investment sentiment in the state ever since Congress Government took over, Captain Amarinder said the construction activity had recently picked up.  

Responding to a query on the issue of Dashmesh Canal, Captain Amarinder Singh said that as the matter of river waters was with the Supreme Court, the state government would explore the feasibility of constructing Dashmesh Canal in due course of time.