Punjab: Sukhpal Khaira dares Sukhbir Badal for open debate on sacrilege, firing issues

JALANDHAR: Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has challenged Sukhbir Singh Badal for an open debate on the charges of sacrilege and Behbal killings against him and his father, at a time and place of his choice.
He also posed him ten questions including explanation on oath why cancellation report in blasphemy case registered against Sirsa dera chief in 2007 was filed in a Bathinda court in January 2012 just before 2012 assembly elections.
“Incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and subsequent killings of two Sikhs at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015 would not have occurred, if the then ruling Badal duo hadn’t indulged in theatrics to please the Sirsa dera chief for cheap electoral gains at the cost of antagonising the sentiments of Sikhs,” Khaira said in a statement issued here on Thursday..
Khaira said the seeds of hatred were first sown by Sirsa dera head Gurmit Ram Rahim on May 11, 2007 when he addressed a congregation of his followers dressed like Guru Gobind Singh at Salabatpura in Bathinda. “Having born to Sikh parents the Dera Chief was fully aware that this blasphemous act of his will badly flare up Sikh sentiments across the world, yet he committed this blunder. .. This was the root cause of extreme enmity between the Sikhs and Dera followers, if the Badals had taken strong action against the Dera head for his blatant blasphemous act, emotions could have calmed down. But the Badals in order to please the Dera Chief filed a mild FIR under section 295 A and made no efforts to arrest him,” said Khaira.
Khaira said the Badals again played a very nefarious and dirty role by filing a cancellation report in this case in a court at Bathinda during run up to assembly polls in January 2012. “This anti Sikh action of the Badals was a result of understanding between them and Dera head for his support in the upcoming elections,” he said.
Khaira said the other core reason for hatred and sacrileges was the manipulated withdrawal of pardon to dera chief to pave way for the release of dera head’s film and even Akalt takht and other jathedars were summoned to Badals’ residence.