Sukhbir takes Orbit off road

Ruchika M Khanna, Kulwinder Sandhu & Gagan K Teja

Chandigarh/Moga/Patiala, May 2 

Amid widespread outrage over the molestation and death of a minor girl in Moga, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday ordered all Orbit buses to go off the road with immediate effect.

Three days after the teenage girl was pushed off an Orbit Aviation Company bus by her alleged molesters, her relatives have refused to perform her last rites till the proprietors of the firm are booked. As outrage and protests over the gruesome incident continued across the state, Punjab minister Surjit Singh Rakhra triggered a controversy when he said what happened was "God's will". 

"Nobody can stop accidents. Whatever happens does so by God's will. We can always meet with an accident. We will do more for the people....What has happened is unfortunate. You cannot go against nature's will," he said during a college function in Patiala. 

Sukhbir has asked the family-run Orbit to send its bus operating staff on an orientation course and said no vehicles would ply until the course was completed. The management of the company said the decision to not ply the buses has been taken as per the Deputy CM's directions. 

Widespread protests rocked the state as the Opposition demanded that Sukhbir be booked in the case. The protesters stopped Orbit buses at Sangrur and Chandigarh. Apprehending damage to the buses, a decision to not ply the buses was taken, said sources.  

The stalemate between the government and the girl's family over autopsy, compensation and other issues continued today. "We are not going to cremate her until a criminal case is registered against the owner of the bus," victim's father Sukhdev Singh said.

The body of the girl has been kept in mortuary at Moga's Singhawala village. Sukhdev said there was pressure on him to give consent for autopsy. "I have received threats from all quarters, but I won't buckle," he said. 

He said the state government has so far not given any monetary help to him. "The government has only made announcements pertaining to compensation. I don't even know the status of these announcements", he said.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising political parties and NGOs today said the agitation will continue until a case is registered against Sukhbir Badal and permits of Orbit buses are cancelled. The JAC said it was up to the family to give consent for autopsy. 

AAP activists took out a march to protest against the incident again and burnt effigies of Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir.

PPCC Pratap Singh Bajwa demanded CM's resignation for "lacking courage" to meet the victim's family. SAD MLA Joginder Singh Jain accused Opposition parties of adding fuel to the fire.  

As Opposition targeted Rakhra for his "God's will" remarks, the Punjab minister claimed that the media had twisted his statement.

The minister said he had gone to attend a college function where mediapersons had asked him to comment on wheat crop damage due to rain "I tiold them there were access of rain this year and we could not go against the God's will," said Rakhra. 

There was another query pertaining to the proposal on opening more girls' hostels in surrounding areas to avoid accidents, said the minister. "I just said government cannot stop all accidents and people will have to take precautions," added Rakhra.

The minister said he was questioned about the Moga incident but he had simply said he wasn't aware of the details.