Ludhiana blast

Punjab has been rocked by some disturbing incidents in quick succession. Days after alleged sacrilege attempts took place at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and a gurdwara in Kapurthala, leading to the lynching of two men, a blast at the Ludhiana district court complex killed one person and injured six others. With the Assembly elections around the corner, the timing of these happenings points to a major conspiracy aimed at fomenting trouble in the border state. Nearly three decades after terrorism was wiped out, Punjab remains vulnerable to the machinations of troublemakers who are bent on whipping up communal frenzy for electoral gains. The state government faces the uphill task of cracking down on the perpetrators and the conspirators — who might be based in India, Pakistan or overseas.

The Ludhiana incident has turned the spotlight on the Maur Mandi blast, which had claimed seven lives barely four days before voting took place in the 2017 Assembly elections. Two SITs have failed to get to the bottom of the matter, amid allegations that the investigation was discontinued abruptly. The demand for handing over the probe to the NIA or the CBI has also remained unaddressed. Lack of political will has kept this ghastly crime shrouded in mystery, while emboldening anti-social and anti-national elements. The inconclusive investigation in cases of sacrilege dating back to 2015 has also been a huge letdown.

People of Punjab need to stay vigilant as more disturbances are not ruled out. Political and religious leaders must exercise restraint in word and deed as divisive forces might go all out to pursue their nefarious agenda and exploit the volatile situation. Moreover, political one-upmanship is getting nastier by the day, with the battle lines hardening after the registration of a drugs case against a former minister. It won’t suffice to catch the pawns — the big fish operating behind the scenes must be unmasked and brought to book without delay. Punjab, which regained peace at the cost of thousands of lives and also suffered irreparable economic losses, can’t afford to experience that nightmarish era all over again.