AAP govt failed to deliver justice in sacrilege, firing cases: Khaira
Senior Congress leader and MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has launched a scathing attack on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to deliver justice in the 2015 sacrilege cases and the Behbal Kalan police firing incident.
Expressing deep disappointment, Khaira said the Mann-led government has completed three years in office with grand promises of justice and accountability but has instead displayed “utter failure and deliberate inaction” in handling some of Punjab’s most emotionally sensitive cases.
His criticism follows the Supreme Court’s recent dismissal of the Punjab government’s Special Leave Petition (SLP) seeking to shift the Behbal Kalan trial from Faridkot to Chandigarh. The apex court, on April 18, ruled that the trial must continue in Faridkot, rejecting the state’s arguments around impartiality and administrative convenience. The case, involving 98 witnesses—most of them Faridkot residents—had earlier been ordered to be shifted to Chandigarh by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 31, 2024.
Terming the Supreme Court verdict a “tight slap” on the Mann government, Khaira alleged that the move to transfer the case was merely a tactic to delay the trial. “The AAP government, which came to power on the promise of delivering justice, has resorted to the same delaying strategies used by previous regimes,” he said.
The Behbal Kalan incident, which took place on October 14, 2015, during protests over the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari, led to police firing that killed two Sikh demonstrators and injured several others. Nearly a decade later, the victims’ families are still awaiting justice. An FIR was registered on October 21, 2015, at the Bajakhana police station, but progress in the case has remained sluggish.
Khaira took particular aim at the functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Naunihal Singh. He criticised the absence of SP (Investigation) Sandeep Kumar Wadhera from Faridkot, despite being posted there. “Even the IGP has admitted that Wadhera has not been present in Faridkot for investigation duties. This is not just negligence—it reflects the government’s apathy and mismanagement,” he said.
Khaira highlighted the anguish of families like that of Sadhu Singh, father of Gurjeet Singh—one of the protesters killed in the firing—who have been seeking justice for nearly ten years. “It is heartbreaking to see their suffering. The AAP came to power promising a new political era in Punjab, but their promises have proven hollow,” he said.
In an emotionally charged statement, Khaira also accused the Chief Minister of failing the Sikh community. “These cases are not just legal matters—they touch the core of Sikh religious sentiments. The Mann government’s inaction is a betrayal of the trust placed in it by the people of Punjab,” he said.
Demanding immediate corrective steps, Khaira called on the Chief Minister to issue a public apology to the victims’ families and fast-track the investigation. He urged that the trial be conducted without any further delay in Faridkot, as directed by the Supreme Court.
“The people of Punjab are watching. They expect action, not excuses. If Bhagwant Mann cannot fulfill the promises he made, he has no moral right to remain in office. Justice delayed is justice denied—and Punjab has waited long enough,” Khaira concluded.
Punjab