File pic of the blast site at Maur Mandi in Bathinda.(Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)
After the Punjab police hinted at the possibility that a Maruti 800 car used in the Maur bomb blast outside Congress MLAHarminder Singh Jassi’s rally ahead of the Assembly elections last year had ‘links’ with the Dera Sacha Sauda headed by Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the Congress has adopted a ‘wait and watch’ policy.
While the police is yet to go on record about the link of the car with the dera, it has confirmed that two accused arrested by the police were associated with the dera. Jassi is related to the dera as his daughter is married to the dera head’s son. Ram Rahim is lodged in jail after his conviction on rape charges.
Even as the Congress is waiting and watching for the police to complete investigations, a distant relative of Jassi, Bhupinder Singh Gora left the party embarrassed when he addressed a press conference Friday to say that the car was in Jassi’s convoy throughout the day (of the blast). “The blast took place when Jassi had left his rally. It was certainly done to gt sympathy votes for Jassi. He should be booked for the death of seven innocent people in the blast,” Gora said.
READ | Maur Mandi blast: A year later, statements by 4 witnesses point to Dera Sacha Sauda ‘link’
Jassi, meanwhile, could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
None of the party leaders were willing to speak on the issue. A Congress leader, who did not wish to be named, “The first thought came to my mind was that the rivals would be the first one to link up the blast with our leader also. And that exactly happened when Gora held a press conference and levelled all those allegations.”
Jassi, however, lost the election to Jagdev SIngh Kmalu of the Aam Aadmi Party.
A senior Congress leader said, “We are waiting and watching for the police to complete investigations. If the investigations point a finger towards dera’s involvement, it would be a reflection on Jassi. It will certainly be embarrassing for us. We will see what is to be done.”