AAP govt will ensure exemplary punishment of those involved in 2015 sacrileges: Punjab CM

Chandigarh, Sep 4 (IANS) Facing criticism from his own AAP legislator for “going slow” on the issue of sacrilege and subsequent police firing in 2015, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday informed the Assembly that his government is firmly committed to ensuring exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of the incidents. Taking part in discussions on the last day of the Assembly session, the Chief Minister said the government has got major clues in the sacrilege incidents and a fresh report to ensure that the perpetrators get the punishment for their sins would be soon filed.He said the report has already been sent by the government for legal vetting so that no one involved in the crime can escape.Mann said the day “is not far away when the culprits of this heinous crime will be seen behind the bars”, adding unlike the previous governments they will not leave any stone unturned.Slamming the previous governments for adopting a soft approach towards this highly emotive issue, the Chief Minister said due to this laxity the criminals who have bruised the psyche of Sikhs by committing such unpardonable crimes are still roaming free.Reiterating the commitment of the government to punish the perpetrators of sacrilege incidents, he said that it is the duty of his government to ensure that these criminals get punishment.”Every person who has been hand in glove in this crime will be ensured exemplary punishment for this sin,”, he said.Earlier in the day, AAP legislator and former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh sought tabling of the Special Investigating Team (SIT) report probing the police firing that took place at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura in 2015 after protests over sacrilege incidents.The MLA, who was part of the SIT while in police service, also sought a special one-day sitting of the Assembly to debate the sacrilege and police firing incidents.Replying to the demand of farmers for an agriculture policy, the Chief Minister said unlike the Union government, which introduces its policies without applying mind and consulting the people, the state “makes policies in consultation with people”. He said the agriculture policy is being drafted after due consultation with all stakeholders whereas the industrial policy has been successfully implemented after due consultations with the industrialists. Mann said the government is mulling constituting an industrial advisory Commission with a chairman of Cabinet rank by including major industrialists in it.He said that panchayat elections would be held soon and these would be contested without party symbol. He said this would remove groupism in the villages and ensure holistic development of the rural areas. Mann said the government has taken a path-breaking decision to debar the candidates from contesting elections on party symbols in larger public interests. The Chief Minister announced that any village that elects the panchayats unanimously will get a grant of Rs 5 lakh, along with a stadium or school or hospital, whatever is needed. He said the government wanted to strengthen the Panchayati Raj System for which intelligent and honest people must be elected.–IANSvg/vd