Sacrilege: Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal says conspiracy to target religious places

Against the backdrop of sacrilege of Sikh holy book in a village, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday said there was a "deep-rooted conspiracy" to target religious places in the state and asked people to thwart the nefarious designs of anti-social elements.

He urged the people to remain vigilant round-the-clock to ensure that no one was able to succeed in their nefarious designs of desecrating holy religious places, Sri Guru Granth Sahib and other religious symbols.

"Under a deep-rooted conspiracy, the religious places across the state are being targeted by some anti-social elements," Badal said.

"Some forces inimical to the state are hell bent upon destroying the hard earned peace and communal harmony in the state as part of a deep rooted conspiracy. To achieve this ulterior motive, they are indulging in heinous and inhuman acts like disrespect of the religious places in the state," he said, adding sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib was a part of this conspiracy.

The Chief Minister said the state government was committed to expose this conspiracy with the active support and cooperation of general public. He promised that anyone found guilty in this unpardonable offence would not be spared at any cost and exemplary action would be taken against him so that it act as a deterrent for others to indulge in such dastardly act in future.

An incident of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib recently took place in a village in Faridkot district, provoking widespread protests in several parts of Punjab.