Book sacrilege: Punjab Chief Minister calls emergency meet amid unrest, BJP summons core committee

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has convened a Cabinet meeting of ruling Akali Dal while its ally BJP will hold a core committee meeting of the party on Tuesday, as protests continued in various parts of the state against the alleged incidents of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib today.

Chief Minister Badal has convened an emergency meeting of the state cabinet here tomorrow, an official said.

Concerned over desecration of Sikh holy books, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and assured him “all possible help” from the centre to meet the situation that has arisen because of these incidents.

“Spoke to CM Shri Prakash Singh Badal who apprised me of the prevailing situation in Punjab. Assured him of all possible help from the Centre,” Rajnath tweeted.

Meanwhile, state BJP chief Kamal Sharma summoned an urgent “core group meet” of the party here tomorrow to take stock of the ongoing situation in Punjab, a party spokesperson said.

Sharma said that the incident of the sacrilege of the Guru Grant Sahib was unfortunate and has appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony and peace in the state.

“BJP has already conveyed to the Chief Minister to take strongest action against the culprits,” he said.

However, Congress demanded imposition of President’s rule in Punjab contending that law and order has completely broken down in the wake of recent incident of desecration of the holy book of the Sikhs.

State PCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa said at the AICC briefing that the Centre should also constitute a time-bound inquiry headed by a Supreme Court judge to identify and bring to book the culprits in one month.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demanded resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal over “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state.