Apology is for mistakes, not for crimes: Punjab CM after Badal seeks 'unconditional forgiveness'

Hoshiarpur (Punjab): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday attacked Sukhbir Singh Badal over the 2015 sacrilege incidents after the SAD chief sought "unconditional forgiveness" for "all mistakes" when his party was in power, saying an apology is for mistakes, not for crimes.

Addressing a gathering at State Van Mahotsav event here, Mann further said his government is collecting "new evidences" in the 2015 incidents pertaining to desecration of Guru Granth Sahib and asserted that exemplary punishment will be given to the guilty.

Apparently referring to Badal, Mann said some people are asking for forgiveness for their mistakes.

"After some reporters asked about it, I said an apology is for mistakes, not for crimes. There is punishment for crimes. You committed crimes," said Mann without taking anybody's name.

A mistake may be committed knowingly or unknowingly but what is committed intentionally is a crime, he asserted.

In a letter to the jathedar of the Akal Takht made public on Monday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)chief Badal has sought "unconditional forgiveness" for "all mistakes" committed when the party was in power in Punjab.

Referring to the 2015 sacrilege cases, Mann said, "We are collecting new evidence in the matter. Some people, who were earlier not speaking, have come forward now. We are getting fresh documents."

"Everybody has pain (about sacrilege incidents). Punishment must be given for this," he said.

"In few days, we will have some fresh documents. One cannot think that people can stoop to such a level (committing sacrilege)," said Mann.

The CM also took a dig at the rebel Akali leaders, who revolted against Badal, saying they remained "mum" for eight years in raising their voice.

"Now other (rebels) group is saying they committed a mistake as they could not raise their voice. It is an eight-year-old incident. What does it mean they could not speak," he asked.

Incidents related to the theft of a 'bir (copy)' of the Guru Granth Sahib, putting up of handwritten sacrilegious posters and torn pages of the holy book found scattered at Bargari had taken place in Faridkot in 2015 when the SAD was in power.

During the anti-sacrilege protests in Faridkot, two persons were killed and several injured in police firing.

The Akal Takht Secretariat in Amritsar on Monday released a copy of the three-page letter that Badal submitted to Giani Raghbir Singh, the Akal Takht jathedar on the rebel leaders' accusations, on July 24.

Rebel SAD leaders, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and ex-Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, appeared before the jathedar on July 1.

They had sought forgiveness for "four mistakes" during the SAD regime between 2007 and 2017, including failure to punish those responsible for 2015 sacrilege incidents and pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.

They had also held Badal, the then deputy chief minister, responsible for the "mistakes".

A section of party leaders revolted against Badal, asking him to step down as party chief following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab.