Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday, 23 December, said those who are trying to disrupt peace in Punjab will not be spared.
His comments came after visited the Ludhiana District Court Complex blast victims at a city hospital. At least one person died, and five others were injured in the explosion. He also announced free treatment for all the five injured.
The blast reportedly took place in a public toilet on the second floor of the court complex.
"First they tried sacrilege, now this. They are trying to disrupt peace. Those found guilty will not be spared," Channi said on Thursday evening. "An investigation is underway. Some people want to create disturbance in Punjab. The governemnt is on alert."
Immediately after the blast, Channi took to social media and tweeted:
"Saddened over the news of blast at Ludhiana court complex. I'm reaching the blast site shortly and I assure the people of the state that the guilty would not be spared. Anybody trying to disturb the peace and harmony of the state, will be taken to task."
Meanwhile, Punjab's Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said the hand of "external forces" can't be ruled out in the incident and later said Pakistan didn't want Punjab to be stable.
"Our forensic team has reached. Ours is a border state, so we cannot rule out anything, including the possibility of external forces, as they never want Punjab to be stable; the whole state is on high alert," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
He too visited the hospital to meet the injured persons from the explosion.
"Patients have minor injuries. One of them said the explosion sound was too loud as if a building fell. Pakistan doesn't want us stable," he said.
However, Punjab DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya refused from commenting on "anything" and said, "Only the experts can tell the kind of explosives used, but the district, state, and central forensics are on it. Every crowded place is on alert, the public should also be careful."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and several others also reacted to the incident.
Calling the blast "extremely condemnable", Gandhi said "strict action must be taken at the earliest against those guilty."
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana expressed deep shock at the incident and asked the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court to enquire about the developments.
Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal issued a video statement saying, "Some people want to create disturbance in Punjab before the State Assembly elections. The people of Punjab should stay united."
Meanwhile, Congress Punjab unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu said that fear was being spread in the name of political agenda.
"It's unfortunate that fear is being spread in the name of a political agenda. That's the culmination of negative politics; innocent people get killed for votes' polarization," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
"If everything remains fine for about four years, why do a series of events happen only 1-2 months prior to (Assembly) elections? That's what happened in WB. I condemn this cheap politics. We'll give a befitting reply to those who want to divide us," he added.
Former state chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh also tweeted his prayers for the injured.
"Disturbing news of a blast at Ludhiana court complex. Saddened to know about the demise of 2 individuals, Praying for the recovery of those injured. Punjab Police must get to the bottom of this," he said.
Later, he attacked CM Channi for his suggestion that the blast was linked to the state's lookout notice against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia. "It is not only unfortunate but highly irresponsible on part of the Chief Minister to jump to the conclusions by trying to construct a link between the blasts, the sacrilege incidents and the FIR against an Akali leader without any investigations," Singh was quoted as saying by NDTV.
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