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Challan in Behbal Kalan firing soon, Punjab govt to Qaumi Insaaf Morcha members
Punjab cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Aman Arora held discussions with leaders of Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, including advocate Amar Singh Chahal, Pal Singh ‘France’ and Balwinder Singh
The Punjab government will soon present the challan in court pertaining to the Behbal Kalan firing case of 2015. A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting held between the state government and representatives of the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha on Wednesday.
In the meeting, cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Aman Arora held discussions with leaders of Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, including advocate Amar Singh Chahal, Pal Singh ‘France’ and Balwinder Singh.
On the issue of prisoners languishing in jails across the country, the ministers said that for the release of Gurdeep Singh Khaira and Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, the state government will soon contact the Delhi and Karnataka governments.
It was also decided that the government will accept the pleas of the families of Gurmeet Singh, Lakhwinder Singh and Shamsher for their early release and start a process, and the rest of the demands will be considered in the second phase of talks.
They also assured that the government will take legal advice on the plea of shifting all the cases related to Jagtar Singh Hawara to the Mohali court. It was decided that a decision on this will be taken before March 31. In view of the inconvenience being caused to people, the morcha agreed to defer the march by its 31 members towards the residence of the chief minister.
The ministers also informed the delegation that the state government has already flagged the issue of making stringent provisions of the Indian penal code (IPC) related to sacrilege with the Union home minister.
They said that the matter is already under active consideration by the state government. They said that soon this issue will be raised before the President of India.
During the discussion, it was also agreed that after the discharge of Bapu Surat Singh from DMC Hospital, the state government will take care of his health needs, and the morcha has been asked to ensure that he doesn’t participate in the protest for at least a fortnight.
The morcha has been holding the protest in support of its demands at the Chandigarh-Mohali border since January 7.
Promises made
2015 Behbal Kalan firing: Challan to be presented in court soon
Release of Sikh prisoners: Punjab Govt to write to Delhi and Karnataka Govts; will start the process for prisoners languishing in jails in the state
Shifting of trials: Govt to take legal advice to shift cases related to Jagtar Singh Hawara to Mohali
Stringent provisions for sacrilege: Govt to raise the issue before President
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Shifting of Bargari sacrilege cases is a govt failure: Dhami
AMRITSAR:
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami slammed the Punjab government for the transfer of Bargari sacrilege cases out of the state.
“The transfer of the trial of Bargari-related three sacrilege cases of Guru Granth Sahib out of Punjab is a blot on the forehead of the Punjab government. This exposes the reality about the government’s seriousness in pursuing the sacrilege cases”, Dhami said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Dhami said that the incumbent Punjab Government did not strongly pursue these cases of sensitive nature, attached to Sikh sentiments.
He said earlier the Congress-led Punjab government did politics on these sacrilege cases and now, the Aam Aadmi Party-led government is passing time.
“It was required from the Punjab government to strongly present its side in the court by any means, but the government’s failure has hurt Sikh sentiments”, he said.
He said that the government is already kind to Dera Sirsa head Gurmeet Ram Rahim and he is given parole repeatedly. “In such a situation, sacrilege cases being transferred out of Punjab is a big question mark on the Punjab government,” he said.
