Malerkotla/ Amritsar, Punjab (July 19, 2013): It is learnt that the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF), Peer Mohammad faction, has submitted a memorandum with Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh seeking his intervention into the incident of conversion of Sikhs into Islam by former DGP Mohammad Izhar Alam Khan.
AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammad blamed Izhar Alam for converting poor Sikh children into Islam.
According to information tendered to Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) by AISSF a delegation comprising AISSF President Karnail Singh Peermohammad, Bhai Baljeet Singh Khalsa, Bibi Sandeep Kaur Kashtiwal and Bhai Ramandeep Singh of Damdami Taksal handed over a memorandum to Giani Gurbachan Singh along with a 14 page petition signed by 565 Sikhs from the United States of America.
According to Times of India (TOI): “The AISSF president alleged that Izhar Alam had so far contributed Rs 99000 each for the construction of more than 480 mosques besides he had installed Imam’s of these mosques of his choice”.
“He had constituted 21 member committee of each mosque with majority of convert Sikhs as its members” he reportedly added.
As per TOI: “[w]hen contacted Alam said “My only comment is no comment” adding that earlier also a lot of people and organizations had levelled allegations against him”.
The Federation has demanded intervention of Akal Takht to hold an inqury into the incident and also urge state government to conduct a probe and prevent such a malpractice.
Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh said it was a serious issue . He said he would ask Dharam Parchar Committee of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to conduct an inquiry into the allegations.
It is notable that Izhar Alam had been a controversial figure. Many reports by Human Rights bodies have documented the evidence that he formed a personal force named “Alam Sena” that comprised criminals and police cats who eliminated Sikh youth, and family members/sympathisers of Sikh militants in extra-judicial killings.
US diplomatic cables leaked by Wikileaks also affirm the existence of Alam Sena. In this regard a US Diplomatic cable dated: December 19, 2005 reads:
[During the insurgency, he assembled a large, personal paramilitary force of approximately 150 men known as the “Black Cats” or “Alam Sena” (“Alam’s Army”) that included cashiered police officers and rehabilitated Sikh terrorists. The group had reach throughout the Punjab and is alleged to have had carte blanche in carrying out possibly thousands of staged “encounter killings.” (NOTE: Former Director General Punjab Police KPS Gill publicly praised the group, saying the Punjab police could not function without them. End Note.) Herkewaljit Singh told us that Alam was “at the top of the list” in authorizing encounters during the insurgency period”.]
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Related Press Release by AISSF (in Gurmukhi/Punjabi):