Chandigarh, Punjab (October 27, 2011): Human rights bodies, in Punjab, are concerned about the continuing policy of impunity and political accommodation of “mass violators”. Recently opposition is expressed, by such bodies, to proposed candidature of former DGP Mohd. Izhar Alam on Shirmoani Akali Dal (Badal) ticket for State Assembly Election from Malerkotla.
Punjab Human Rights Organization (PHRO), led by Justice (Retd.) Ajit Singh Bains, has asked chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to explain to the people of Punjab and especially the Sikhs how Alam could be his blue-eyed boy “when he was responsible for killing several innocent Sikhs in fake encounters”?
PHRO said by projecting Alam as a SAD candidate from Malerkotla, Badals have also mocked at Sikh history, which proudly mentions Nawab Sher Mohammad for raising his voice against execution of two sons of Guru Gobind Singh by Sirhind ruler Wazir Khan.
“Now Badals are siding with a person who committed atrocities, instead of raising their voice for innocent victims,” they said. They announced that if Badal would remain adamant on fielding Alam on SAD ticket then along with other human rights organizations they would campaign against him in the constituency.
They said that Alam and his Alam Sena’s deeds were well documented in a white paper issued by Punjab Students Union and “101 fake encounter killings” documented by Paigam group. Alam Sena was a group of State’s unofficial armed personnel who worked under the direction of Izhar Alam and mass violations against Sikh militants and civilian sympathisers of Sikh movement.
“No comments”, was the cryptic answer that Izhar Alam is reported to have chose to give to a section of media when asked about his views over the issue. The former top cop has never commented on the issue, either in the past or in the recent times.