Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Punjab Congress president, lambasted the government for the purported inaction in sacrilege cases during a press conference on Monday. It comes two days after Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi promised swift action against those guilty in the sacrilege cases and those behind the drug trade.

Sidhu protested the lack of any charges having been filed in the Kotkapura case even six months after the formation of a new Special Investigation Team. Once again engaging with advocate general Amar Preet Singh Deol in a war of words, he questioned the delay in filing a Special Leave Petition against the bail granted to former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini.

Taking a veiled dig at Channi, he reiterated his demand to make the report against the drugs mafia public. According to him, no court had prevented the state government from releasing the report in the public domain. 

Navjot Sidhu remarked, "It's been 6 months since the 3rd SIT was formed in the Kotkapura incident but till now no chargesheet filed. It's a question of moral authority. Ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, prime accused, given blanket bail. It's not personal, I'm standing with Punjab." 

The rift between Navjot Sidhu and Channi intensified after the latter refused to accept the resignation of Advocate General APS Deol. His ouster was one of the main demands put forth by Sidhu for a possible rapprochement with the party top brass after being ignored for the CM's post. The former swashbuckling batsman was peeved at APS Deol's appointment as the latter had appeared for Sumedh Singh Saini and other accused in the sacrilege cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

On November 6, Deol responded to Sidhu's constant attacks by accusing the former of obstructing the functioning of the government. Furthermore, he claimed the Punjab Congress president is spreading "misinformation" concerning sacrilege cases and the drug issue to gain advantage over his political colleagues. In light of the upcoming election, he claimed the AG's office was being maligned to malign Congress.

Throwing weight behind his legal team, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi asserted, " Our lawyers have fought hard and got permission for interrogating Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in sacrilege cases. Our gurus issue will be solved soon. The drugs matter is a serious matter of our state. The sealed reports on the drugs case which has been submitted to High Court will hopefully open on November 18. People who ruined Punjab have to answer".

Image source: India tv