A large crowd converged in Bargari Sunday to mark the third anniversary of alleged police firings which led to death of two people during protests against a spate of sacrilege incidents in Punjab in 2015.
The sacrilege incidents had led to massive protests in different parts of the state three years ago and two people were killed in the firings at Behbal Kalan. Police had also allegedly fired at protesters to disperse them in Kotkapura.
Several state leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, Punjab's main opposition party, also converged at Bargari.
Punjab ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Sukhbinder Sarkaria, and other state Congress leaders attended separate programmes in memory of the deceased in their native villages, Sarawan and Niamiwala.
Anti-sacrilege protesters, who were staging a sit-in at Bargari since June 1, had organised a function to observe the third death anniversary of the victims. They had given the government a 15-day ultimatum on October 7 to take action against those indicted by Justice Ranjit Singh Commission which had probed the incidents of sacrilege.
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The Congress government had set up the panel last year to probe incidents of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib and other religious scriptures, after rejecting the findings of the Zora Singh Commission set up by the previous Akali Dal-BJP government, saying its findings were "inconclusive."
AAP state leaders Harpal Singh Cheema, who is the leader of oppposition, Bhagwant Mann and party's rebel MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira joined the gathering at Bargari.
Radical Sikh preachers Dhian Singh Mand, who is the main face behind the sit-in, and Baljit Singh Daduwal also addressed the crowd.
On the occasion, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal attacked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh over his alleged failure to punish those responsible for the incidents, following which the Congress leader hit back alleging that his Delhi counterpart was politicking.
"On 3rd death anniversary of Behbal Kalan victims Krishan Bhagwan Singh& Gurjit Singh,I offer condolences 2 their families.Highly unfortunate that @capt_amarinder govt has badly failed 2 punish the culprits of sacrilege of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji &the murderers of 2 innocents," Kejriwal tweeted.
In reply, Amarinder Singh tweeted, "Stop politicking @ArvindKejriwal. It's shocking a man in your position talks of subverting law instead of waiting for SIT's findings. We don't live in anarchy. In any case who better than you'd know what happens when one doesn't go by law. Remember your apology to the Badal clan."
Cheema, in his speech Sunday, asked that when the Ranjit Singh Commission had indicted former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal for the police action on the protesters, then why was the Congress government trying to shield him.
"Captain (Amarinder Singh) sahab is trying to shield Badal," he alleged.
Mann alleged that the intent of the Congress government "was not clear". "Amarinder Singh is also equally responsible as he is delaying the action. The Congress and Akalis are playing a friendly match," Mann, the MP from Sangrur, alleged.
Khaira said they would not rest until justice was done and all culprits were punished.
Apna Punjab Party chief Sucha Singh Chottepur attacked Amarinder Singh and claimed that despite requests from Cabinet ministers, the chief minister rejected their demands for justice in the sacrilege and firing incidents.
However, Punjab Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said the Punjab government was duty-bound to give justice to the victims of the firing incidents and its perpetrators would be behind the bars soon.
"Due to some legal issues with the probe, the matter is facing delays but those responsible would face the law," he said during a visit to the victim's family.
Bajwa said the chief minister wanted to ensure that those behind the incident were punished, without leaving any room for loopholes.
"Any officer trying to save his skin by resorting to legal impediments would see the government removing all such loopholes so as to make sure that nobody responsible gets away scot free," Bajwa said.
He was apparently referring to a senior Punjab Police officer who was indicted by the Ranjit Singh Commission for the alleged police firing at Kotkapura on October 14, 2015.
Addressing the people at Sarawan village, Bajwa alleged the previous Parkash Singh Badal government had "revived the memory of Jallianwala Bagh massacre by firing upon those protesting in a peaceful manner against the sacrilege of Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji".
The minister said the people were still anguished and pained over the sacrilege incidents and the subsequent firing ion those who were sitting on a peaceful protest.
On the occasion, Bajwa accepted the development demands of the people of the villages from where the two victims hailed and assured them of early fulfilment of their demands.
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