Amritsar: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday paid obeisance at the Golden Temple here, and said he will ensure justice in the 2015 sacrilege case.
It was his first visit to the holy city after becoming chief minister.
Channi, who was accompanied by his two deputies, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni, and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, also visited the Durgiana Temple and Bhagwan Valmik Tirath here.
During their nearly two-hour long visit to the Golden Temple, the four heard hymns and performed ‘sewa’ (community service).
They also went to the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, to offer prayers.
Speaking briefly with reporters after visiting the Golden Temple, Channi said justice will be delivered in the 2015 sacrilege cases.
He was referring to the incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in Faridkot.
Channi said they came here to seek blessings of the ‘Guru Sahib’ and added that every religion will be respected in the state.
Sidhu said politics had deviated from issues but our chief minister dragged it back to the issues”.
If we cannot resolve issues of the people then we are not true Sikhs because religion is about feeding the hungry, making those crying happy and giving shelter to those who lack it, he said.
Heaping praise on the chief minister, Sidhu said, Today I am very happy as what I experienced in the company of this humble chief minister (Channi) in the last two days, I have never felt so in the last 17 years of political life. There is a feeling now that Congress can serve the people without any fear.”
He said merit will be honoured and truth will be victorious.
The four also visited a famous tea stall in the city where they exchanged pleasantries with locals and enjoyed a cup of tea with ‘kachoris’ and bread butter.
Channi also met local MP Gurjit Singh Aujla and had breakfast at MLA Raj Kumar Verka’s residence.
Channi, his two deputies and Sidhu reached Amritsar on Tuesday night from Delhi where they had gone to discuss the expansion of the new cabinet with the party’s central leadership.