Bajwa tells Punjab CM to return ‘Panth Ratan’ title

Saturday, 24/10/2015

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ANANDPUR SAHIB: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa on Friday asked chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to return title of ‘Panth Ratan Fakhr-eQaum’ bestowed upon him by the Akal Takht.

Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa praying for peace in Punjab, at Bishop House in Jalandhar on Friday.

While talking to mediapersons at Anandpur Sahib after offering prayers at Takht Keshgarh Sahib for peace in the state, Bajwa said Badal was responsible for the current turmoil in the state and wasn’t worthy of holding title of Panth Ratan.

“The entire Punjabi community wants Badal to return this title. Keeping in view the wishes of the people, he should immediately write to the Akal Takht jathedar stating that he is not worthy of holding such a title as he has failed to ensure justice to Sikhs,” Bajwa said.

Bajwa demanded that a timebound enquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge should be conducted into the incidents of sacrilege and firing on peaceful Sikh protestors at Behbal Kalan in Faridkot district that resulted in death of two persons. The government must tell the people who gave the firing orders.

Bajwa said in the wake of doubts being raised by villagers and panchayats about the involvement of two baptised youth in the Bargari sacrilege case, there was a need for an independent probe to ascertain the truth and unravel the names of real culprits behind the incidents of desecration.

Bajwa said the state was reeling under unrest and people had lost faith in both chief minister and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar. “The two must resign from their posts immediately,” he said.

Reacting sharply to the statement of Anandpur Sahib MP Prem Singh Chandumajra that the Congress was behind the present turmoil of the state, Bajwa said the Congress was a responsible party and always stood for unity and integrity of the country .The party had sacrificed many of its senior leaders for ensuring peace in the state, added Bajwa.

In Jalandhar, Bajwa also accused Badals of playing into the hands of the RSS to belittle the Sikh community.

“Everybody knows that the RSS is an anti-minority force. It wants weaken every minority community in the country. In Punjab too, they want to weaken the Sikhs and for that they are using Badals. I apprehend the RSS hand in whatever is happening in Punjab,” alleged the PPCC chief.

Hailing the Sikh preachers who are leading the protests against the state government, Bajwa, said: “I don’t have any doubt over the intention of leaders who have announced to form a people’s commission to probe the matter but it’s a fact that if the commission is not recognised by state, it won’t have the powers to scrutinise any official record, which is a must when it comes to probing such a big issue.”