Congress to go on offensive, Sad-baiters will lead the charge

CHANDIGARH:WITH the Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission report on sacrilege incidents likely to rock the state assembly, the Punjab Congress Legislature Party has decided to go on the offensive to take on the SAD-BJP combine in the state assembly.

The CLP, which met on Thursday evening under the chairmanship of chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to draw out its floor strategy ahead of the threeday session beginning Friday, entrusted the task of leading the charge against the opposition to Akali-baiters.

Those who have been asked to lead the debate on the report include Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Manpreet Badal, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Kuljit Nagra and Kuldeep Singh. The Akalis have already rejected the report and accused the Congress of defaming the party by blaming them for the sacrilege incidents. The report will be tabled in the House during the session.

The meeting, as per a party release, was of the view that the Congress should go all out against the Akalis over the issue of Bargari and other sacrilege cases, and the two incidents of police firing, at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura that had led to deaths and injuries in the wake of desecration. Amarinder said he would ensure that nobody found guilty of indulging in cases of sacrilege was spared. “We will not allow anyone incriminated for desecration to go scot-free,” he said.

Addressing the meeting, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said this was a crucial session as it would script the political obituary of many, and would expose those exploiting religion to divide the people for their political gains.

Whatever has come out in the media on the report exposed the Akalis, he said, asserting that being at helm of affairs, both Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal could not escape responsibility over the sacrilege incidents in their rule.