TERAI (U.P.) In a front page story published July 24 W.S.N. warned of Hindu fundamentalist threats to Terai Sikhs. The BJP led govt. is resented by Sikhs residents because of its vacillation on important 1Ssues and its similarities to the acknowledged ‘anti-Sikh’ Congress (I) central govt. Noting that residents fear and protest police atrocities and false arrests of citizens the report mentioned individuals such as S.Giani Harinder Singh Mangat.
Further investigation reveals the circumstances surrounding Mangat’s arrest. This is the repot that has reached WSN
Giani Harinder Singh Mangat is one of seven sons of the late captain Saddha Singh Mangat. In early 1950 after retirement captain Mangat purchased undeveloped land in the Terai area of U.P. During the past 40 years the Mangat family worked very hard and established themselves as one the most progressive and profitable farming operation in the Terai area. The Mangat family in general and Giani Harinder Singh in particular are known for their assistance to new Sikh migrants in the area. Their personal success and willingness to lend help to new and small Sikh farmers in the area was not well received by the area’s Hindu fundamentalists. They were waiting for a window of opportunity to silence the Sikh voice and spreading Sikh influence by framing Giani Harinder Singh in some criminal cases.
In the last general election the Bhartya Janata Party (BJP) won a majority of seats in the U.P Assembly. This BJP victory gave momentum to the strong Hindu fundamentalist movement in the area accelerating attacks on all minorities including a false and fabricated claim on the site of Babri Masjid and attempted construction of a Hindu temple on the Muslim Holy site ‘The state government is controlled by the Hindu fundamentalists and was desperately looking for an excuse to involve Giani Harinder Singh in some criminal offences. The Hindu fundamentalists under the leadership of Gurbachan Lal Sharma of Bajpur and at the direction and support of — state police kidnapped and murdered Beldev Singh Cheema who was the younger brother of Giani Harinder Singh’s son-in-law
This was a willful and planned attack against Giant Harinder Singh. When the Sikh masses came to him to express then sympathy and support on June 131992 the state police arrested him for conduct in anti-national activities and harboring freedom fighters. Giani Harinder Singh has” since been detained in Allahabad jail und the National Security Act.
In addition to Giani Harinder Singh the” UP police also tried to arrest the father and) uncle of S.Baldey Singh Cheema. Bo have fled the area to escape from U.P. state police and have now surrendered to Punjab police
Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 14, 1992
