Page 10 - The Indian EYE 123121

NATION DECEMBER 31, 2021 | The Indian Eye 10

golden temPle incident

Sacrilege and lynching: Tempers running high

in a tension-filled Punjab headed for elections

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has demanded public execution for those accused of

desecrating religious texts; Amarinder Singh condemns mob violence

OUR BUREAU to remember the sacrilege incident
in our government’s rule, you had
Amritsar said that CM should be jailed, that
A CM-Dy CM had allowed it. You did
man was beaten to death in an
politics and didn’t catch the guilty and
altercation by angry devotees
after he allegedly attempted
Badal family and SAD.”
to commit sacrilege at the Golden deliberately spent 5 yrs in defaming
Temple in Amritsar on December 18. However, days after sacrilege
A video of people beating up the incidents in Punjab, former Chief
man who allegedly attempted sacri- Minister Captain Amarinder Singh
lege with the Nishan Sahib has gone on Tuesday said that there is “no jus-
viral on the Internet. He was later tification for mob lynching” and it is
handed over to the police but some “condemnable”.
people reportedly insisted that the To a question on lynchings in
man be questioned in front of them Amritsar and Kapurthala, Captain
and the man was allegedly beaten to Amarinder said that the accused
death in an ensuing scuffle. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, along with Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randha- should have been handed over to the
A Special Investigation Team wa visits the Golden Temple in Amritsar (ANI) police. “No civilized society can and
(SIT) has been formed by the state should approve of such killings.” On
government to probe the Golden Tem- the issue of people getting angry for
ple incident. A day after a man was denial of justice over Behbal Kalan
lynched in Amritsar for attempted sac- sacrilege, thus resorting to such kill-
rilege at Amritsar’s Golden Temple, an ings, the former Chief Minister said,
unidentified man was allegedly beaten his government had pursued investi-
to death by locals at Nizampur in Pun- gations into the matter from day one.
jab’s Kapurthala district on Sunday for He said, first the state had to fight
allegedly disrespecting the ‘Nishan Sa- a long legal battle to get the inquiry
hib’ at the village Gurudwara. back from the Central Bureau of In-
Inspector-General, Jaland- vestigation and then the investigation
har Range, GS Dhillon has said was started and 22 people including
that as per investigations there was police officials and civilians were ar-
no visible sign of sacrilege and po- rested who are on bail now.
lice is investigating the allegations. “There is no justification for mob
“Information about the attack on People from the Sikh community hold placards during a protest over a youth who was beaten lynching, whatsoever and it is con-
police, and man killed being verified. to death yesterday at the Golden Temple in Amritsar after being accused of a sacrilege demnable,” Singh said.
If it appears to be murder then FIR to Meanwhile, Shiromani Gurd-
be registered accordingly,” the IG said. attempt, in Srinagar on Sunday (ANI) wara Parbandhak Committee
“As it was a sensitive issue, po- (SGPC) will set up an inquiry panel
lice used restraint. Those people in Punjab ahead of Assembly polls, Speaking in the press conference to investigate the alleged sacrilege at-
who managed to do this were more scheduled to be held early next year. here in Fazilka, Punjab, Sukhbir Badal tempt at the Golden Temple in Am-
in number than the police. People’s “Conspiracy going on to disrupt Pun- said, “We do not want to do politics, ritsar, said Harjinder Singh Dhami,
emotional sentiments were high after jab’s peace. Wherever sacrilege takes we want culprits to be caught. Since president, SGPC.
the incident at Golden Temple,” the place, be it of Quran Sharif or Bhaga- no culprit was caught in the last 5 Dhami demanded that, mean-
Inspector-General added. vad Gita or Guru Granth Sahib, they years, they were emboldened. It’s sad while, Punjab Government should set
Meanwhile, reacting to the al- (guilty) should be hanged in public they have formed inquiry committee up an inquiry to probe the alleged sacri-
leged sacrilege attempt at Golden and given biggest Constitutional pun- of the Deputy Chief Minister. A judge lege attempt at Kapurthala gurdwara.
Temple in Amritsar, Punjab Con- ishment,” Sidhu said. should have been on the committee. “We demand that the Punjab govt
gress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has But Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) This shows that they do not want to set up an inquiry to probe the sacri-
demanded public execution for those chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Mon- catch culprits.” lege attempt at Kapurthala gurdwara.
accused of desecrating religious texts. day said that the incident of alleged Badal further slammed the Pun- Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Addressing a rally in Malerkotla on sacrilege attempt at Golden Temple jab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Committee (SGPC) is setting up an
Sunday, Sidhu alleged that a conspir- in Amritsar should not be politicized Channi and said, “I would like to tell inquiry panel for sacrilege incident (at
acy is being hatched to disrupt peace and demanded culprits to be caught. Punjab Chief Minister and Dy CMs Golden Temple) probe,” said Dhami.

www.TheIndianEYE.com