Chandigarh, January 3, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today issued a one week ultimatum to the Congress government to arrest all the killers of former Akali Sarpanches Baba Gurdeeep Singh and Dalbir Singh Dhilwan failing which the party would launch an agitation programme to ensure justice in the political murder cases.
Taking a decision to this effect at a meeting presided over by SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal, the party core committee said the spate of political assassinations of Akali leaders by gangsters with direct links to Congress leaders and Ministers was unprecedented. It said the party was committed to breaking the Gangster-Minister nexus in Punjab and would take all necessary steps in this regard be it going to the people or the courts.
The core committee also announced that it would agitate to ensure withdrawal of the unjust and unprecedented power tariff hike in Punjab, saying it had put an unbearable burden on the common man and made industries unsustainable.
Stating that the SAD would not allow the Congress government to pass on its inefficiencies as well as management failures to the consumers, Mr Sukhbir Badal announced the party would hold district level dharnas across the State to demand immediate withdrawal of the power hike. The first dharna will be held at Sangrur on February 2 followed by dharnas in Bathinda, Ferozepur and Fazilka.
It was also decided that a delegation of senior leaders would meet both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to convey the sentiments of the Sikh community regarding the continued incarceration of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana.
The core committee decided that the delegation would impress from the central leadership to commute Bhai Rajoana’s death sentence and urge that he be released from prison immediately.
The core committee also took note of the sacrilegious conduct of Jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and condemned him for ridiculing the first Sikh Guru – Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji and comparing him with chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
It said such shameful conduct had hurt the religious sentiments of the entire Sikh community and that a case under Section 295 – A should be registered against him immediately besides his immediate dismissal from the State cabinet.
The recent instances of cases being registered against 55 Sikh devotees who were participating in a Nagar Kirtan at Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh and devastation of nine houses and 200 acres of land belonging to Sikh families in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh was also taken up for discussion.
The core committee expressed grave concern at the developments and appointed a two member committee of MPs Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Naresh Gujral to look into both incidents and suggest remedies. The MPs will visit both places and will also take up cases of the victims appropriately.
The core committee also decided to form a Committee which will include representatives from the Shiromani Committee, Delhi Committee and the Patna Committee to celebrate the 400th Parkash Purv of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur. The Committee, which also includes Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, will decide on the events which will form part of the celebration besides coordinating with the centre in order to celebrate the epoch making event nationally.
The Core committee meeting was attended by Jathedar Tota Singh, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Sikander Singh Maluka, Sharajit Dhillon, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Kirpal Singh Badungar, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Baldev Singh Mann. Mr Harmeet Singh Kalka from the Delhi Committee attended as a special invitee.
