Chandigarh, May 06, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
Reprimanding the Punjab government for not responding on the issue of discrimination done onto Padma Shri Bhai Nirmal Singh Khala before and after his passing away even after a month, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes has directed the state government to submit the action taken report in the case within three days.
Disclosing this here today, former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) legislator Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal said while asking the state government to submit its Action Taken Report immediately, the National Commission had issued it a warning that if the Commission did not receive a reply from within three days, it would issue summons to the government.
Earlier the National Commission had issued notices to both the State Chief Secretary as well as the Director General of Police following a complaint submitted in this regard by the SAD leader to its Chairman Prof Ram Shankar Katheria. Mr Atwal said the National Commission had also asked the Punjab government to form a SIT to inquire into the whole incident of ill-treatment meted out to the late Hazuri Ragi.
Giving details, Mr Inder Iqbal Atwal said he had in a letter to the National Commission brought to light the manner in which Hazoori Ragi Bhai Nirmal Singh was discriminated against while being treated at the government hospital at Amritsar and later after death by being denied cremation at the Verka cremation ground.
He highlighted the last telephonic conversation of the Ragi with his family in which the Kirtaniya disclosed he had not been attended to for four hours and had lost all hopes of survival. He also disclosed how a government teacher, who was a Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress, and whose wife was a councillor, had locked the gates of the Verka cremation ground to deny cremation to the mortal remains of Bhai Nirmal Singh.
The former SAD legislator also told the Commission that Bhai Nirmal Singh belonged to the Mazbhi community and that his tragic death had shattered the Sikh Panth and particularly the Dalit and Mazbhi community. He said the disrespect show to the renowned Kirtaniya was being taken as an insult by the entire community.
Stating that the Punjab government should have ensured that the Ragi was not disrespected in this manner, Mr Atwal urged the National Commission to probe the matter to do justice in the case.
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