Sidhu Moose Wala murder: NIA or CBI probe demanded by Congress

A delegation of the Punjab Congress on Wednesday met Governor Banwarilal Purohit seeking a probe by the central agency NIA or CBI into the brutal murder of party leader and singer Sidhu Moosewala.

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The delegation was led by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

The other members of the delegation were Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa, party's state unit working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu, deputy Congress Legislative Party Leader Rajkumar Chabbewal, former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and former minister Balbir Singh Sidhu.

The delegation sought a probe by any of the central investigating agencies, whether the CBI or NIA, into the assassination of Sidhu Moosewala, saying nobody had any faith in the state government.

It said the Aam Aadmi Party government led by Bhagwant Mann has proved to be "disastrous" for the state.

No doubt the AAP got public mandate but they have proved to be "complete failure", the delegation said.

It was not a routine murder but a well-conceived conspiracy executed so daringly that the assailants had no fear of law, it said, adding that police still have no clues.

They are only latching on to the "confessions" made by some people on social media, they said.

The delegation told the Governor that CM Mann has been a "complete disaster".

Moreover, he is either "callous or incompetent" to understand the gravity of the situation and the tragedy, the Congress leaders said.

The delegation said Mann did not have the courtesy to pay a condolence visit to the bereaved parents whose only son fell victim to the bullets of assassins as his security had not only been withdrawn, but also public spectacle made of it for cheap populism.

"It is a double whammy. Bhagwant Mann is not only incompetent, he is dictated from Delhi by those who have not an iota of an idea about what is happening in Punjab," they said.

Meanwhile, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said Mann has "failed miserably" as the state home minister and should be dismissed immediately for "failing to maintain law and order and provide even basic security to the people of Punjab".

In a statement here, the Shiromani Akali Dal president said, "It seems the law of the jungle has descended on Punjab. No one is safe. Be it the gruesome murder of youth icon Sidhu Moosewala to the RPG attack on the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters to clashes between two communities."

Asserting that Punjab is a border state and that its security could not be compromised, Badal said, "We have an inimical neighbour who is likely to take advantage of this situation to destabilise the state even further unless urgent steps are taken to stem this rot."

Badal said a "fear-psychosis" had entered into the minds of people who were feeling unsafe due to the free rein given to gangsters who were not only running extortion rackets but were also indulging in targeted killings.