CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today urged the Punjab government to explain what it planned to do to prevent targeted killings and hate crimes in Punjab saying an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty was being created in the state.
“There is a sense of fear among people that the ISI was trying to resort to selective and targeted killings in Punjab do disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the state and we have already seen a few killings, but the government remains inert and unmoved and is instead busy in Gujarat elections”, Warring said in a statement here today.
The PCC president also questioned the silence of the central government over such a serious situation in the border state wondering why it was allowing such a drift. “Or may be someone wants polarization in Punjab to suit their designs”, he remarked.
“Mere announcements about banning songs promoting gun culture or banning new weapon licenses will not solve the problem as criminals and gangsters do not use licensed weapons to target their victims and nor do they get inspired by songs”, Warring said while taking a dig at the Punjab government’s ban on promoting gun culture in songs.
The PCC president said the situation had further been complicated with total absence of the government machinery from the state that had led to complete inertia in its functioning. “People of Punjab did not elect you for campaigning in Gujarat after abdicating your duties here”, he reminded the Chief Minister and other ministers saying, with AAP remaining completely preoccupied with Gujarat campaign, governance had badly suffered in Punjab.
Warring warned that there are reports already in public domain as how Pakistan’s ISI was desperately trying to revive militancy in Punjab and trying to indoctrinate and instigate youth to resort to violence. “There has been no visible plan or action on part of this government as if nothing has happened”, he observed, while warning against dealing with the situation as “business as usual”.
The PCC president also expressed surprise as to how come the crime gets committed in Punjab and it is the Delhi police which arrests the culprits as happened in case of Sidhu Moosewala’s and a dera follower’s killings. “Why is the Punjab government watching as a mute spectator?” he asked.