CHANDIGARH: Days after two men were killed over sacrilege cases in Punjab, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Tuesday that there could be no justification for mob lynching. He said national security and the welfare of Punjab topped his agenda.
Addressing a public meeting after inducting senior Congress leader Jagdish Kumar Jagga into the party at Rajpura, Amarinder said his party, the Punjab Lok Congress, and the BJP were working in close coordination to ensure success in the Assembly polls.
He also condemned the killing of the two accused in the sacrilege cases – one inside the Golden Temple and another at Kapurthala, saying the accused should have been handed over to the police. “No civilized society can and should approve of such killings,” he said.
On the issue of people getting angry over “denial of justice” in the Behbal Kalan sacrilege case in 2015, he said his government had pursued the case from day one. He said the state had to fight a long legal battle to get the inquiry back from the CBI. Then the investigation began and 22 people, including police personnel and civilians, were arrested. They are out on bail now.
Amarinder thanked the BJP leadership for their support for Punjab. He said his top-most priority was national security and good governance. He emphasized the need for close coordination between the police and central security agencies. On ticket distribution, Amarinder said both sides will work together to finalise the winning candidates.