"If the government is convinced that he is innocent and that he has been a victim of mistaken identity, it should move ahead to save him," BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said.
The matter was raised by Dr Rattan Singh, member of Lok Sabha from Tarn Taran and Saranjit Singh Dhillon, who alleged that the Congress party was behind engineering violence against the Akalis.
Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat led the people in paying tributes to Tohra whose pyre was lit by his son-in-law Harmail Singh Tohra.
The death came at 0041 IST after he suffered a heart attack at 0030 IST at the Escorts Heart Institute in Delhi.
In a view that may not go well with Bharatiya Janata Party's ally Akali Dal, the Sangh says it sees a 'problem' if minorities assume a 'political' character.
Makkar is a close confidant of SAD chief Prakash Singh Badal.
Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police G S Dhillon said the SAD (A) leader was arrested under sections 107/151 (apprehension of breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code.
The others to be elected to the Upper House from Punjab were Ashwini Kumar and Dharampal Sabharwal (Congress) and Virender Singh Bajwa (Shiromani Akali Dal).
The anti-drugs agency had issued the notice to Johar over a viral video allegedly showing drugs being consumed at a party hosted at his residence, the official said.
Punjab Governor S F Rodrigues administered the oath of office and secrecy to Badal at a ceremony held at PCA stadium in Mohali.
Shiromani Akali Dal Chief Parkash Singh Badal will take oath as the chief minister of Punjab on Friday.
Demanding registration of murder cases against those involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Shiromai Akali Dal asked PM Manmohan Singh on Tuesday to ensure justice to victims of the senseless violence or else quit.
Arun Jaitley, general secretary in charge of Punjab, left by the backdoor to avoid enraged supporters of those who have denied party nominations.
He said he visited the holy place following requests from people there, including Ujjal Dosanjh, the Health Minister of Canada.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a number of prominent Sikhs at his residence on Friday and highlighted the works done by his government for the community.
Another issue on the party's agenda is the expansion of the ruling NDA, which has seen steady depletion in the recent years with traditional BJP allies like the Janata Dal-United and Akali Dal leaving the grouping.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the opposition SAD-BJP are at loggerheads over who will inaugurate the bridge in Gurdaspur district.
The case has been registered against the former Punjab chief minister for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.
Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Narendra Singh Tomar, Prakash Javadekar, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Dharmendra Pradhan and Smriti Irani are also likely to join the second Modi government after being its members in its first avatar.
Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa of the Akali Dal said the Sikh boy had tried to stop four hooligans from eve teasing. The miscreants caught hold of the Sikh boy, cut his hair and insulted him.
Asserting that "the BJP first set Hindus against Muslims", Badal said the party has "become the most powerful divisive force", out to "replay its evil game in Punjab".
The NCERT has dropped references to the demand for a separate Sikh nation of Khalistan from the class 12 political science textbook following objections from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), according to top education ministry officials.
Other prominent candidates among the 904 in the fray are Union minister Anurag Thakur, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti.
Who controls the government in Punjab?
The Dera had approached the apex court last Friday after the Akal Takht, the highest religious body of Sikhs, served an ultimatum to the Punjab government to close down all Deras in the state by May 27.
The Sikh high priests have also demanded that Ram Rahim tender an unqualified apology for wearing clothes similar to that of the tenth Guru Gobind Singh.
Rajnath Singh was flooded with question on the Dera controversy and he had to be careful not to say anything that would embarrass Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal.
Amid some Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) constituents switching sides to the National Democratic Alliance, Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday said the opposition alliance is 'strong' and the Bharatiya Janata Party is attempting a 'frantic rejig' of the political landscape as it is worried over the collective strength of the coalition.
Several candidates, including Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the BJP's Amritsar candidate, are promising resumption of India-Pakistan trade via the Attari-Wagah land route.
The polls for 70-member assembly will be held on February 8 and results will be declared on February 11.
A day ahead of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's visit to Rajasthan to raise the voice of the farmers against the farm laws, he said that the Centre should withdraw the laws and after thorough consultation with farmers and states, come up with a new set of legislations which the tillers would themselves want and is not something that is forced upon them.
In both the states, the Congress has conceded defeat, admitting that price rise may have been one of the major reasons for the drubbing.
The Aam Aadmi Party has sought the setting aside of Tuesday's election, alleging tampering of ballot papers, and fresh elections under the supervision of a retired high court judge.
The panel, chaired by Mallikarjun Kharge, has been tasked with addressing differences between Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Raninder Singh is allegedly involved in a hawala deal.
"My department is being singled out publicly. I always regard him as my elder I always listen to him."
A Patiala court rejected their bail pleas in the disproportionate assets case.
