With Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders joining Sikh radical leaders’ indefinite protest against Punjab government’s inaction in various incidents of sacrilege, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday accused AAP and other leaders of taking political mileage on the issue.

Sikh radical leaders organsied the dharna at Bargari village on Friday to demand justice for two Sikh protesters, who were shot dead by the police at Behbal Kalan village on 14 October 2015, and punishment to accused in sacrilege cases.

This protest was joined by AAP leaders Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Faridkot MP Prof Sadhu Singh and party MLAs. AAP’s former alliance partner, Lok Insaaf Party and some other parties like Bahujan Samaj Party also joined this protest.

Lashing out at AAP and other leaders, Amaridner said the Justice (retired) Ranjit Singh Commission was investigating the various incidents of sacrilege, including the Kotakpura incident in Faridkot that led to the death of two persons.

Rejecting allegations of his government’s failure to resolve the Bargari case, he said not only was the Commission meticulously investigating the previous cases of sacrilege, his government was also effectively cracking down against the culprits involved in all the fresh incidents reported in the state since it took over.

The Ranjit Singh Commission, set up in April 2017, was thoroughly probing the Bargari and Behbal Kalan incidents, as well as all other cases of sacrilege of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib and other religious texts, said the CM.

It was unfortunate, he said, that some Panthic leaders, supported by the AAP were trying to undermine the Commission’s and the government’s efforts to provide justice to the victims and punish the culprits, Amarinder said.

The CM said of the 69 cases of sacrilege registered in the state since 1 March 2017, as many as 57 had already been traced while 12 were under investigation.

Since Bargari happened before his government took over, going back to the incident and tracing it was naturally taking time but the Ranjit Singh Commission was painstakingly engaged in uncovering the plot, he said, adding that he would ensure that the guilty are brought to book as soon as the Commission completes its probe and submits its report.