हिंदी
(Parambans S Romana says independent probe would expose the AAP hand in the cases of sacrilege)
(Demands Harpal Cheema and Harjot Bains, who had defended Koran Sharif sacrilege convict Naresh Yadav, should be dismissed from the Cabinet)
(Asserts both AAP and Congress doing politics on sacrilege)
Chandigarh, July 17, 2025
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asserted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders were behind the 2015 incidents of sacrilege and that an independent probe alone could bring out the truth in the matter.
Addressing a press conference here, SAD vice president Parambans Singh Romana said incidents of sacrilege started occurring in Punjab only after the entry of AAP into the State. He also cited how one AAP legislator – Naresh Yadav had been arrested and convicted for committing sacrilege of the Koran Sharif and that present cabinet ministers Harpal Cheema and Harjot Bains had defended the legislator.
“Both ministers should not only be dismissed from the cabinet for supporting a sacrilege accused but criminal action should also be initiated against them as per the new Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025 which the government proposes to convert into a law”. He said similar action should be taken against Sandeep Pathak for recommending that the party ticket from Mehrauli in Delhi be given to Yadav post conviction and against AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal for approving the same.
Giving further details, Mr Parambans Romana, who addressed the media along with party Malerkotla leader Zahida Suleman, said Naresh Yadav was arrested one month after the Malerkotla sacrilege which occurred in June 2016 after concrete evidence emerged that he had transferred Rs 90 lakh into the accounts of the accused besides making 13 telephone calls to them. He said Harpal Cheema and Harjot Bains defended Yadav in court and subsequently when the AAP government came into being the complainant in the case was forced to withdraw the same. “Despite a request from the Public Prosecutor that the complainant wanted to withdraw the case, the session’s court convicted Naresh Yadav”.
Stating that both AAP and the Congress were indulging in politics on the sensitive issue of sacrilege, Mr Parambans Romana said “AAP is following in the footsteps of the Congress which also held a special session in 2018 on the issue of sacrilege but without any result. Now the AAP government has also decided to rake up this issue and has formed a Consultative Committee with a six month deadline to take suggestions from people. This means after six months, it will again convene a special session of the Vidhan Sabha to engage in more politics on this issue”.
Speaking about the Congress party, Mr Romana said Congress leader Pargat Singh had stated in the Vidhan Sabha that there were two groups in the party in the erstwhile Congress government who either wanted to use the issue of sacrilege to do politics or to indict SAD leaders in the case. “Pargat Singh should disclose the names of members of both these groups”, he asserted.
Mr Romana said Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa had also given his suggestions on the issue of sacrilege and asserted that live bullets should not be used against protesters. “Partap Bajwa should tell why live bullets were fired at Sri Harmandir Sahib in 1984 killing the priest doing “paath” besides being embedded in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib”. He also accused the Congress of being behind the protests led by Baljit Singh Daduwal at the sacrilege site in Bargari village in Faridkot and for botching up the investigation in the case by taking back the probe from the CBI. “The probe into the Bargari sacrilege was handed over to the CBI at the instance of the Congress party by former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in the interest of justice”, he added.
SAD leader Zahida Suleman while speaking on the occasion said it was shocking that no AAP leader or minister or even chief minister Bhagwant Mann had raised their voice against the Malerkotla sacrilege. “The party chose to renominate Naresh Yadav as its candidate from Mehrauli and only reconsidered this once the Muslim community of Delhi registered its strong protest on the issue”. Ms Suleman also demanded the immediate resignation of finance minister Harpal Cheema saying “the AAP leader supported and patronized Yadav to the hilt”.
