Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Sri Hargobindpur/Chandigarh, The Punjab Congress President Mr Partap Singh Bajwa has demanded resignation of the Deputy Chief Minister Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state as evident from the rape and daylight murder of a minor girl in Ludhiana.
In a statement, Mr Bajwa said before the girl was brutally set on fire, her parents has repeatedly pleaded with the police to provide them protection following the threat from the culprits. The girl had earlier accused the culprits of abduction and rape.
The parents approached the police on December 2 and 3 seeking protection after they were threatened. The culprits entered their house on December 4 and set the minor on fire. She died of burn injuries on December 9. The police failed to provide protection despite the complaint having been lodged.
Mr Bajwa alleged the law and order machinery had totally collapsed. Here was the case of burning of a girl in day time and what was all the more shocking that for two days preceding the tragedy, the father of the girl had been going to the police seeking protection but his pleas were ignored.
He said the problem was that no case could be registered in any police station in the state by an ordinary person without the recommendation of the local Jathedar. The chain of command was broken down. It was the Deputy Chief Minister who was personally responsible for this state of affairs as he also happened to be the Home Minister. He recalled that even earlier also, he had demanded his dismissal on similar counts.
Mr Bajwa said the situation in the state had been deteriorating every day despite the tall claims of the Deputy Chief Minister that all was well and Punjab was the most peaceful state. He reiterated that he must resign owning up moral responsibility. He said women were unsafe in particular.
