Amritsar (December 10, 2012): On the occasion of World Human Rights Day, in a seminar on “Whither Human rights in India” activists of Dal Khalsa and ‘Sikh Youth of Punjab’ reviewed human rights situation in Punjab and India and deplored that international covenants and conventions have not been followed in letter and spirit and urged the United Nations for pro-active intervention in India.
Addressing a press meet, leaders H S Dhami, Kanwar Pal Singh and Ranbir Singh condemn the travesty of justice in the case of 5 hijackers against whom Indian government has started prosecution, after 31 years, on “sedition charges” ignoring their life imprisonment in Pakistan for the same offence.
Speakers condemned the state’s move to upset the home and hearth of two of the five –Satnam Singh and Tejinder Singh, who have since returned to Punjab, are peacefully living a dignified life after their long and scary prison sentences. The other three accused namely Gajinder Singh, Jasbir Singh and Karan Singh are residing out of India because of the prevailing circumstances here.
“After 31 years, our men are being harassed. I must ask the Indian civil society why old cases are being opened up against them now”, said Dhami.
I want to question them, has anyone punished those who killed thousands of Sikhs in Delhi in 1984. There are hundreds of Sikhs who got disappeared in Punjab, but government has not booked their killers, he added.
“Ours is a peaceful struggle and pushing people to the wall would be dangerous. I appeal to the intelligentsia and the civil society in India to ponder over the serious situation that is emerging because of the trampling of rights of our men,” Dhami added.
We are already being robbed of land, honor, resources,” he told a news conference here. We have no grenade or guns in our hands. Our basic aim is to protect and promote rights and interests of Sikh Nation, he said.
He said however, the governments do not want to address the core issues of Punjab and the Sikhs. Instead, they are treating it as a pure law and order problem, inflicting torture and crushing dissent with full might of the state.
The leaders condemned the unwarranted detention of leaders of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind and Bhai Daljit Singh under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. “It is disgusting that these leaders were tortured. The Punjab government must release them.” said Kanwarpal Singh.
Party’s spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said the recent incident of a district party leader of SAD (Badal) killing an ASI Ravinderpal Singh in broad daylight has clearly exposed the nexus between the hooligans and politicians. He appealed to government to check criminalisation of politics and stop politicization of police.
Accusing the Punjab government for mocking human rights, another resolution stated that it is unfortunate that the Badal government has installed known violator of human rights, Sumedh Singh Saini as the Director General of Punjab, whose appointment has been censured by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Regretting the surreptitious execution of Ajmal Kasab, Mr. Dhami apprehended that this may pave way for more persons being sent to the gallows. He urged India and Pakistan to join the growing number of countries around the world to abolish death penalty.
Saluting the grit of Manipuri activist Chanu Sharmila, who is on fast for 12 years protesting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the gathering appealed to Aung Sang Sui Kyi –the Burmese leader who diplomatically admonished India, to take up her case as she is rightfully the ‘Aung Sang Sui Kyi’ of Manipur.
Condemning the continued house arrest of Kashmiri pro-freedom leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani they appealed to India to release the veteran leader.
The group welcomed the US decision to deny visa to Narendra Modi and appealed to National Commission for Minorities to censure Modi’s unequivocal declaration that BJP will have no Muslim candidates in Gujarat.
Prominent amongst those who were present includes Dr Manjinder Singh, Sarbjit Singh Ghuman, Prabhjot Singh, Manjit Singh and Paramjit Singh.