Amritsar — The convener of the Shiromani Akali Dal’s ad hoc committee, Mr. Joginder Singh, on Wednesday warned the Government that “dire consequences” would follow if it continued to pursue “repressive policies” against the Sikhs.
The warning came in connection with reports of alleged torture of Sikh youths by police and indiscriminate arrests of Sikhs at Delhi and other places following, last Friday’s bomb explosions in North India.
Mr. Joginder Singh, who is the father of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, told newsmen here that the Government should understand that “atrocities on Sikhs” would not serve any ‘ purpose. Quoting from the scriptures, he said the Sikhs neither perpetrated atrocities on others nor tolerated them if committed on their community.
Mr. Joginder Singh urged the Government to release all detained Sikh youths and end “atrocities” on them in order to create an atmosphere congenial for a settlement of the Punjab problem.
He asked the Government immediately to release Golden Temple priest Puran Singh, detained under the National Security Act, Simranjit Singh Mann, an ex IPS officer, activists of the AllIndia Sikh Students Federation and followers of the Damdami Taksal allegedly apprehended from religious places during the Army Operation in Punjab last year.
He also urged the Government to release all army men who deserted their units following the Army action in the Golden Temple complex here. Mr. Joginder Singh appealed to the Akali Dal (Longowal) leaders to join the nine member ad hoc committee in order to forge panth unity amidst behind the scenes efforts by some mediators to sort out their differences.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 31, 1985
