Firm on demand for prompt action in sacrilege cases, says Randhawa

Cooperation and jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said on Thursday that he was firm on his demand for prompt action against the culprits in sacrilege cases but would not politicise this issue

Cooperation and jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said on Thursday that he was firm on his demand for prompt action against the culprits in sacrilege cases but would not politicise this issue.

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa

Randhawa, whose meetings with former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and some other ministers and MPs critical of the state government’s handling of the Kotkapura police firing case have become a talking point, said that his stand on the sacrilege issue and those named in drug cases was known to everyone. “I want them punished,” he told reporters outside cabinet minister Aruna Chaudhary’s official residence. Nawanshahr MLA Angad Singh was also present.

Asked about the purpose of his meeting with Chaudhary, Randhawa said they were discussing the elections of cooperative sugar mill in Gurdaspur. “There was no political discussion,” he said before attending the meeting of the state cabinet. Chaudhary also said there was no political motive behind the meeting.

Randhawa’s meeting with Chaudhary had aroused curiosity in political circles as she was the only cabinet minister to attend a meeting of Congress’ SC and OBC MLAs called by technical education minister Charanjit Singh Channi at his residence on Tuesday to discuss the delay in the implementation of promises made to the community in 2017. The dozen-odd Dalit and OBC ministers and MLAs have sought time from the chief minister for a meeting.