Chandigarh. Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parambans Singh Romana today demanded the Aam Aadmi Party government to prosecute Dera Sirsa chief Ram Rahim under section 295-A.
They also demanded that Dera leader Honeypreet be named and arrested for ordering the desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and that immediate arrest of Pradeep Kaler, accused of desecration, be sanctioned in the two pending cases against him.
Mann is following in the footsteps of Congress: Romana
Parambans Singh Romana said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should explain under what deal he has delayed giving permission to prosecute Ram Rahim for the last two years. He said that Bhagwant Mann is following the footsteps of the previous Congress government.
He said that the application made by the SIT to prosecute Ram Rahim under Section 295-A for hurting religious sentiments is pending since September 2021. He also asked why permission to prosecute the Dera chief was not given while it has been given for all the other accused.
Elections are the reason for not taking action against Dera chief: SAD
Romana said that the main reason for not taking action against the Dera chief is the upcoming by-elections and the assembly elections in Haryana. Romana said that Honeypreet was not named or arrested even though Dera leader Pradeep Kaler had named her as the main accused in a statement given before the magistrate under section 164 six months ago.
Three FIRs filed against Kaler: Romana
Romana expressed surprise and said that three FIRs had been lodged in connection with the theft of the copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, pasting of posters challenging Sikhs to save their scripture, and tearing of the holy Granth Sahib and mutilating its pages.
Despite this, Kaler was arrested only in the theft case, even though all three cases were registered at the Bajakhana police station. He said that this makes it clear that Kaler is also being blackmailed and has been instructed to give statements according to a particular script to avoid arrest in the other two cases.
Kaler has not been arrested yet: SAD
Romana demanded that Kaler be immediately arrested in the remaining two cases and asked the Chief Minister why this has not been done so far. The Akali leader said that former Chief Ministers Captain Amarinder Singh and Charanjit Singh Channi and former Home Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had also protected Ram Rahim, Honeypreet and Pradeep Kaler like Bhagwant Mann.
He said all of them had colluded with Dera Sirsa at the cost of the Sikh community. Romana also questioned the role of the AAP government as well as Punjab Police officials who have failed to take action against Pradeep Kaler despite him being declared a fugitive six years ago.
