Farmers Movement Archive

Daduwal thanks PM for ‘resolving Sikh issues’, wants Hawara set free

Chandigarh: Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (ad hoc) president Baljit Singh Daduwal appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Saturday on behalf of Sikhs for reopening the Kartarpur Corridor, repealing three farm laws on Gurpurab, and abolishing the Sikh blacklist. The HSGMC has now written to the PM for appointment to negotiate the release of “Sikh political prisoners who have completed their sentence” and seek justice for Bargari sacrilege, Behbal Kalan police firing, and Kotkapura lathi-charge." Daduwal also claimed that the Sikhs wanted special courts to sentence the drug mafia, redevelopment of Gurdwara Gian Godri Sahib at Har Ki Paurhi in Haridwar (its original site), renaming of Delhi international airport after Guru Tegh Bahadur, and easier conditions for the pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib and other gurdwaras in Pakistan. Daduwal claimed to have list of 22 Sikh prisoners who have completed their sentence and "should be set free". He said: "They include Sarbat-Khalsa-appointed jathedar Jagtar Singh Hawara and Balwant Singh Rajoana (the former a conspirator and the latter a backup human bomb in the 1995 assassination of 12th Punjab chief minister, Beant Singh)." Daduwal demanded that the martyrdom day of Sahibzadas (four sons of Guru Gobind Singh) be observed as Children’s Day. "Many other pending Sikh issues related to Punjab, Haryana, country, and the world are to be discussed with the PM," he said. HSGMC senior vice-president Karnail Singh Nimnabad, vice-president Swaran Singh Ratia, assistant secretary Chandeep Singh Rohtak, executive committee member Satpal Singh Ramgarhia, and secretary Sarabjit Singh Jammu were present. Speaking about the recent sacrilege incidents at Harmandar Sahib in Amritsar and Kapurthala, Daduwal said, "The sacrilege accused were killed on the spot but they should have been interrogated. The sangat’s reaction in Kapurthala was the fallout of Amritsar. The sangat should act with intelligence, courage, and patience, and avoid haste. We must expose the conspiracy. For the lynching, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committtee (SGPC) is also responsible, since its president claimed that its task force had released the accused after apprehending him even though he had no identity on him." About the sangat’s reaction, Daduwal said: "Sluggish trials and investigations eroded the sangat’s faith in courts, governments, and administrations. Police let go of many previous accused as mentally ill, so the sangat didn’t want to turn over the next accused to them. But I appeal to the sangat to follow the law of the land and not punish the innocent." Backs Bargari morcha Asked about the second Bargari Insaf Morcha of the families of the two Sikhs killed in the police firing at Behbal Kalan, Daduwal said: "We support the morcha. The sangat never wanted to end the first morcha, and we separated from those who dictated that it be lifted. I visited the protesting families and feel disappointed that the successive governments failed to delivered them justice even when Sirsa dera’s role had come to light." ‘Maur blast probe slow’ Daduwal asked the Punjab government why investigation into the Maur car bombing case had not progressed "even when the Punjab special investigation team proved that the car had been modified at the dera of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh". ‘Not helping BJP’ Replying to a query, Daduwal denied that he was preparing the ground for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Captain Amarinder Singh in the Punjab elections. He said: "I appreciated even the Charanjit Singh Channi government for initiating action against the drug mafia. Whoever does good work, we’ll appreciate, and whoever does wrong, we’ll condemn." ‘Majithia should join probe’ Replying to a query about drugs case against Shiromani Akali Dal former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Daduwal said: "Charanjit Singh Channi has proved to be a hundred times more effective CM than Captain Amarinder Singh for his courage to book Majithia, while Captain sat on the SIT report for four years and six months. I appreciate director general of police Chattopadhaya also for acting against Majithia, and the ex-minister should join the investigation if he is not wrong. I suggest the government to look for him at the Sirsa dera or Captain’s house."

The Times of India

2021-12-26

Chandigarh