Punjab Assembly condemns TV capsule, passes resolution

Chandigarh, Mar 10 (UNI) Condemning the documentary on a news channel, which showed interviews of Khalistan ideologue Jagjit Singh Chohan and other leaders professing separatist ideologies, the Punjab Assembly today unanimously adopted a resolution that the hard-earned peace of the state would not be allowed to be disturbed by the nefarious designs of forces ''inimical to peace and prosperity of the state.'' After the adoption of the resolution unanimously, the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), however, staged a walkout when their demand for the CBI probe into the episode was turned down by the chief minister.

Moving the resolution in the Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister said he would today constitute a panel to investigate into the making of the episode which was telecast two days back.

''The programme broadcast on the news channel presented a highly distorted and, at times, an incorrect and an incoherent picture and the entire episode is engineered and directed at maligning the government and the people of Punjab,'' he said.

Capt Singh said that that programme was perhaps the handiwork of those who are jealous of peace and prosperity of the state and the strides it had made in stepping up the tempo of growth and investment.

''It is a wonder that how these so called militant ideologues who were interviewed by the news channel were asked leading questions to have their views about the current status of militancy and the possibility of its revival,'' he said.

He also informed the house that the state had registered cases against Khalistan ideologues Dr Jagjit Singh Chohan, Kanwar Singh Dhami and Simranjit Singh Mann whose interviews were shown in the highly inflammable programme on the news channel.

The cases were registered against them under sections 124-A, 153-A and 505 IPC.

Chohan and Dhami have been arrested, while action was being taken against the others who gave volatile interviews to the news channel,' the chief minister said.

Leader of Opposition Parkash Singh Badal had demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter, while the chief minister said there was no need for a CBI probe as the state government was looking into the matter.

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