AAP protecting dera head, other accused: Police firing victim’s son

Jalandhar: Behbal Kalan police firing victim Krishan Bhagwan Singh’s son Sukhraj Singh has alleged that CM Bhagwant Mann-led AAP govt in Punjab is now protecting the accused in Bargari sacrilege and Behbal Kalan police firing cases by not sanctioning prosecution of Sirsa dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim and by not appealing against high court orders of shifting or staying the trials.Addressing a joint press conference here, Sukhraj and Alliance of Sikh Organisations leader Sukhdev Singh alleged that Aam Aadmi Party came to power by promising justice in these cases, but now it was helping the accused in the cases. “Punjab and Haryana high court stayed trial in three cases related to Bargari sacrilege and involving Sirsa dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, but the Punjab govt did not file any appeal against the order before the double bench of the HC or the Supreme Court. Other sacrilege related cases and Behbal Kalan police firing case was transferred to Chandigarh, but Punjab govt did not file any appeal and now there is every possibility that Kotkapura police firing case would also be transferred,” he said. “It was not at all negligence, but planned conspiracy to favour the dera chief and other culprits.”Sukhdev argued that Mann govt’s approach in these cases was akin to Badal-BJP govt’s approach in 2007 blasphemy cases in which they did not file chargesheet and then filed a cancellation report in the court just before 2012 assembly elections and allowed Sirsa dera head to get discharged in 2014. “That approach emboldened the dera head and his followers to indulge in sacrilege in 2015 and then the big terror act of Maur blast in 2017. The way now AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and CM Mann are protecting them in sacrilege cases can also embolden them and they can indulge in big criminal activities in future,” he added.Both also drew a contrast, stating that in the cases where political opponents of CM were involved, Punjab govt would use all its might and resources and would quickly move the SC while hiring expensive lawyers. But, in sacrilege and firing cases, it did not even file appeals.Sukhraj said the AAP leaders should now be questioned by the people wherever they go. Sukhdev said if Mann would follow in the footsteps of the previous Badal-BJP govt in these cases, the AAP would also face similar political consequences. Both argued that former dera follower and sacrilege case accused Pardeep Kler was being projected to deflect attention. “Even, according to his disclosures, Punjab govt has not gone after Sirsa dera head or (his socially adapted daughter) Honey Preet,” Sukhdev said.