Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar lashed out at SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday, accusing him of ordering police firing at Behbal Kalan to disperse anti-sacrilege protesters to "facilitate uninterrupted" screening of film of Dera Sacha Sauda head in the state.
Two persons were killed in police firing at Behbal Kalan during a protest against desecration of religious text in 2015. Sukhbir Singh Badal was the deputy chief minister of Punjab in the SAD-BJP government at that time and also in charge of the home department.
Jakhar, who is also the Gurdaspur MP, asked about the necessity of removing peaceful protesters at Faridkot and alleged that Badal had "failed" not only as the home minister but also head of the 'Panthic' party.
"Sukhbir cannot escape the responsibility... when farmers and Dera premis who had been holding protests for their respective demands were not removed then what was so emergent that anti-sacrilege protesters had to be removed from Behbal Kalan," he told reporters here.
Accusing the SAD president of having financial interest in Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh's movie 'MSG-2', Jakhar alleged that this was the reason why the dera chief was pardoned in a blasphemy case.
The Dera chief had sparked a row after wearing a dress similar that of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10 Sikh guru, at a congregation at his headquarters in Sirsa in 2007, following which he was ex-communicated by the Akal Takht.
"Sukhbir had financial interest in the release of the film of Dera head and he did not want that to be jeopardized. He wanted the film to be screened uninterrupted in the state.
More From This Section
"The anti-sacrilege protesters were hampering the sale of tickets of the movie. That is why he ordered the then DGP of removing protesters and police firing. I hold him responsible for it, otherwise Sukhbir should clarify who ordered the firing," Jakhar said.
Referring to the reported statement of former SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar, Jakhar stated that Badal had told Makkar on September 24, 2015, about the plans of getting Akal Takht pardon to the Dera chief.
"It was done despite Makkar objected to it this move," the state Congress chief claimed.
Jakhar claimed that after the movie was released in Punjab, it did a business of Rs 102 crore in the first week itself.
Meanwhile, accompanied by six state cabinet ministers, Jakhar went to Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village, Panjgrain Khurd and Behbal Kalan on Wednesday to tell people that the Amarinder Singh government has "fulfilled its promise" by conducting a probe into sacrilege incidents.
They addressed a public meeting at Behbal Kalan and also spoke to people at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara.
The Congress leaders also met two brothers at Panjgrain -- Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh -- who were arrested by police during the SAD-BJP rule on the charge of being involved in desecration of religious texts. The two brothers were later released by police after it failed to gather evidence against them.
Meanwhile, a clash took place between workers of Akali Dal and supporters of Sikh radical leader Baljeet Singh Daduwal here on Wednesday following objection raised by latter to the proposed meeting of Akalis in connection with a 'Pol khol' rally to be addressed by SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on September 15.
Police said the situation was brought under control by using mild force in which no one suffered any major injury.