Amritsar: To get rights and justice for the November 1984 massacre and the killing of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijhar, Dal Khalsa took out the freedom march highlighting the on-going democratic struggle for sovereignty and independence of Punjab. The occasion was 57th year of today’s Punjab. The issues ranging from the controversial SYL, the showdown between India and Canada over Bhai Nijhar’s murder, referendum under UN etc. dominated the event and there were loud slogans of Khalistan Zindabad and Punjab is not India that resonated in the air.
Under the leadership of president Harpal Singh Cheema and spokesperson Paramjit Singh Mand, thousands of youth held banners with pictures of Bhai Balwinder Singh Jattana on which it was written, “Our blood has been shed to stop SYL, no more water can flow from it.” The youth were holding placards saying ‘I am also Jattana’ to give a stern warning to the government and the courts against re-constructing of the disputed canal.
Secretary Paramjit Singh Tanda, Jasvir Singh Khandur, Sarabjit Singh Ghuman, Bibi Sandeep Kaur, Gurnam Singh Moonkan, Ranveer Singh, Surjit Singh Khalistani, Gurvinder Singh Bhatinda , Bhai Ranjit Singh led the march.
Resolutions adopted during the event:
On the occasion of Punjab Day (November 1), this gathering dedicated to Panth and Punjab on the land of Amritsar reiterates its commitment to the sovereignty and independence of Punjab and struggles to achieve the right of self-determination and freedom through a referendum under the UN. .
57 years ago today, our present Punjab came into existence after a lots of struggle and sacrifices. Our land, river water, borders, language, culture, identity, economy, agriculture, lifestyle, political system and religious institutions all are under seen/unseen control of India. The story of 57 years of present day Punjab is full of tears and soaked in blood.
Our fight, our struggle is to end this occupation of India, to become the masters of our own destiny and decisions and to establish Punjab as a sovereign country. Punjab belongs to Punjabis, be it Muslim, Hindu, Christian, moolnivasi, Buddhist and Sikh and also those, who do not believe in any religion.
This gathering warns the Delhi Government for engineering the killing Bhai Paramjit Singh Panjwar, Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijhar in a secret extrajudicial operation this year. Today’s meeting accord the status of a martyr of Khalistan struggle on both. Similarly, for the mysterious death of Avtar Singh Khande in UK, we urge the UK government to bring out the truth through an impartial investigation.
39 years have passed since the massacre of Sikhs took place in Delhi and other places under the patronage of the Indian state in November 1984. The aggrieved Sikh community has exhausted all legal means in this country, but justice seems to be a far cry.
The events of June and November 1984 and the attitude and policies of the Indian state thereafter have set the Sikhs on the path independence. For us now the meaning of justice has changed. For us now the meaning of justice is complete independence from India. In order to permanently stop the re-occurrence of massacres like November 1984, it is necessary to achieve freedom from Indian slavery.
SYL is a buried issue. Governments are now trying to revive the issue by digging its grave through the courts. The Sikh warriors had stopped it firmly and we, the heirs of the Sikh struggle, will not let the sacrifices of those martyrs to go in vain, even if we also have to offer sacrifices for that.
Today’s gathering demand from the United Nations to take into account the atrocities and gross injustice and government-sponsored violence against the minorities and Dalit people in India and take strict action against India as per international laws just as the UN did in the case of Sri Lanka for committing genocide of the Tamils, Russia for the destruction of the Ukrainian people and Israel for killing unarmed people by indiscriminate bombing on the Palestinians.
Today’s gathering thanks the Government of Canada and PM Justin Trudeau for exposing the Indian Government for engineering the murder of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijhar and criticizes the Government of India for not cooperating with Canada in the investigation. Today’s meeting demands the Government of Canada to present evidence against India related to the Bhai Nijhar case in its courts and initiate legal proceedings in the case and if India does not cooperate with the investigation, the Government of Canada can refer the case to the International Court of Justice (Hague).
This gathering expresses deep concern over the loss of lives of hundreds of innocent people on both sides due to the war that broke out between the Israeli forces and the people of Palestine for the past three weeks and appeals to the powerful countries of the world to come forward for an immediate ceasefire. A direct or indirect encouragement given by powerful Western powers to Israeli forces to kill any Palestinian living in the Gaza Strip could pose a threat to world peace and stability.
This gathering strongly criticizes the Indian government for exposing its double standards by not supporting the resolution brought by the United Nations for a ceasefire. On the one hand, the Indian government has been recognizing the freedom struggle of the Palestinian people, on the other hand, it has adopted an insensitive approach towards the efforts of the United Nations to prevent the human catastrophe taking place inside Palestine.
Today’s gathering of freedom-loving people supports the ongoing Sovereignty struggle’s in Kashmir, Nagaland etc. and in the rest of the world and expresses solidarity with the struggling people’s, and hopes for the same support for the Sikh struggle from them.