On January 24, at around 2:30 PM, a man attempted sacrilege in the famous Kali Maa Mandir, Patiala, Punjab. The incident took place during prayer time. The cameras placed for live telecast captured the whole incident.
Sacrilege attempt at Kali Mata Mandir in Patiala. #Punjab pic.twitter.com/PUoz437jAu
— Ajay Sehrawat (@IamAjaySehrawat) January 24, 2022
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media platforms. In the video, a man identified as Rajdeep Singh jumped into the enclosure where Maa Kali’s Swaroop is installed. He allegedly attempted to deface the Swaroop. The priest present in the enclosure got into action immediately and overpowered him. The priest pushed the man where he was caught by two devotees.
As per reports, the man has been handed over to the Police. Hindu organisations have called for a bandh in Patiala on Tuesday in protest of the sacrilege attempt. Punjab Lok Congress chief and former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh condemned the incident. He urged Election Commission to take stock of the incident and take strict action to ensure peace in the state. He said, “Strongly condemn the disturbing incident of attempted sacrilege at Shri Kali Mata Mandir in Patiala. Repetitive attempts to disturb peace in Punjab will not be tolerated. I urge Election Commission to take strict action so that the atmosphere in the state is not disturbed.”
Strongly condemn the disturbing incident of attempted sacrilege at Shri Kali Mata Mandir in Patiala.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) January 24, 2022
Repetitive attempts to disturb peace in Punjab will not be tolerated. I urge @ECISVEEP to take strict action so that the atmosphere in the state is not disturbed.
Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal strongly condemned the sacrilege incident at Kali Maa Mandir. In a tweet, he said, “Strongly condemn sacrilege at Kali Mata mandir, Patiala. We feared & warned against conspiracy by forces from outside Punjab to spread communal hatred among Hindus and Sikhs shrines. Worst fears coming true. Let’s all stay united against them to preserve peace & communal harmony.”
This is just one more of the countless acts of sacrilege in Punjab under Congress rule. Complicity in these heinous acts or utter failure to maintain law & order and preserve harmony? Come clean @CHARANJITCHANNI
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) January 24, 2022
He further added, “This is just one more of the countless acts of sacrilege in Punjab under Congress rule. Complicity in these heinous acts or utter failure to maintain law & order and preserve harmony? Come to clean CM Channi.”
Earlier, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi blamed people with ‘some vested interest’ for the incident. In a tweet, he said, “Today around 2.30 PM, a person arrived at Sri Kali Mata Mandir in Patiala and climbed on the threshold where the Idol of Sri Kali Mata Ji was installed. Following this, he was caught and handed over to the Police.”
Some vested interests are continuously trying to destabilise the social harmony of Punjab in view of the upcoming elections, but I will not let them succeed in their malicious motives. (2/2)
— Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) January 24, 2022
He further added, “Some vested interests are continuously trying to destabilise the social harmony of Punjab in view of the upcoming elections, but I will not let them succeed in their malicious motives.” Channi said he has ordered a probe into the matter.
Punjab and incidents of sacrilege
In recent times, the incidents of sacrilege have increased in Punjab. In 2021 itself, four people were killed on the pretext of attempted sacrilege. The incident of Golden Temple on December 18 where a man tried to attempt sacrilege at Akal Takht and that of Kapurthala on December 19 where a mentally challenged man was killed for the alleged sacrilege of Nishan Sahib caught a lot of media attention.
