The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today expressed the "deepest sorrow and outrage" over the Moga bus tragedy. "I am with the grieving family in their hour of extreme sorrow and want to assure them that those responsible for bringing this tragedy upon them would be given exemplary punishment under the law of the land," said Mr Badal.In a statement here, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “I am personally and deeply anguished over the incident, the more so because of the bus in which it happened. Referring to the ownership of the company, Mr Badal said that that fact only adds to our responsibility. "It is absurd even to think that the incident of the company's ownership would allow such brutality and brazen-ness to go unpunished me.Meanwhile, the Punjab government today set up a high level committee headed by the state Chief Secretary, Sarvesh Kaushal, to suggest ways to ensure complete safety and security to commuters in public transport. The committee has also been asked to look into the feasibility of installing cctv cameras or other gadgets for greater surveillance and safety in buses.
The Deputy Chief Minister regretted that for the opposition, it was not the tragedy of the family in the Moga bus incident but the identity of the company that was important. "I am deeply pained by the utterly irresponsible and inhuman statements emerging from some Congress leaders. Instead of helping in assuaging the wounded feelings of the affected family, the opposition leaders have been gleefully latching on to it as an opportunity to buy their lost political relevance in Punjab. That really saddens me,"Stating that he did not want to comment on the incident before the police had completed its investigation, he said, "A statement from the Home Minister might have been seen to be influencing the course of investigations. I decided to let the focus be entirely on investigation and action against the guilty," he said, adding he had decided to put the record straight on the case only to stop further politicization of the case .Assuring the people that no one found guilty would be allowed to escape justice, Badal said, "As home minister of the state, supremacy of law is not just my constitutional obligation but an article of sacred faith at a deeply personal level. We have been tasked by the people to run the state strictly in accordance with theletter and spirit of the rule of law. We are answerable to the people on how well we fulfill that mandate, and people have repeatedly reposed trust in us."
Mr Badal said that he had directed the law enforcing agencies to take the matter to its logical conclusion expeditiously and to ensure that justice is not only done but is also seen to have been done."He said that unfortunately, there is a widespread perception in the country that those with political links usually get away with outrageous breach of law. "I am here to demonstrate that that is not the case in Punjab. We mean business in this."Putting the record straight, Mr Badal said that the company in question is the oldest company of undivided Punjab and has been operating successfully since 1947. For more than fifty years of the company's existence, our family was not in government. In fact, for long periods during this time, my father was languishing in the country's worst jails. Our family was made the target of vicious political vendetta in which our personal properties and business were subjected to raids and thorough investigations. We had to knock at the doors of judiciary even to get justice. And courts vindicated us. Therefore, the opposition is indulging in board daylight falsehood through allegations that the company owes its progress to our being in the government, "said Mr Badal.