Punjab govt bans public display of firearms, songs glorifying weapons

Punjab: Amid Sharp  Opposition criticism over an allegedly deteriorating law and order situation, Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government Sunday ordered a complete ban on public display of weapons and songs glorifying violence.

In a communication to the Director General of Police, Commissioners of Police, District Magistrates and Senior Superintendents of Police, the Punjab Home Department also directed a review of all firearm licences issued in the state so far within three months.

According to the order, “public display and exhibition of weapons including on social media” as well as songs glorifying weapons or violence are to be banned.

It asked officers to “immediately cancel the arms licence” if it was found to be issued to any



miscreant during the review.

According to the order, no new firearm licence should be issued in the next three months, except when competent authorities were “personally convinced that issuing of arms licence was necessary due to extraordinary circumstances”.

The order also directed that “First Information Report be registered against person making hate speech against any community”.

The orders have been issued in the backdrop of recent killings of Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri in Amritsar and dera follower Pardeep Singh, who was out on bail in 2015 sacrilege case, in Kotkapura. Earlier, the killing of kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambian in Jalandhar in March and the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala in May had sparked outrage.