Sikh Siyasat Exclusive
Ludhiana, Punjab (March 29, 2012): As per reports, arrests of Sikh leaders were carried out at large scale yesterday. The Punjab police initiated the crackdown on political opponents of ruling Badal Dal at around afternoon and arrests were made till late night. Some reports suggest that police is still looking for many Sikh leaders who have gone underground to avoid arrests and undue harassment.
More than hundred Sikh leaders and active Sikh workers have been arrested so far. As per reports those arrested include, S. Simranjit Singh Mann, President of SAD (Mann); Bhai Daljit Singh, Chairman of Panch Pardhani; Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema, Jasvir Singh Khandoor, Baba Baljeet Singh Daduwal, Bhai Mohkam Singh, Gurinderpal Singh Dhanaula, Paramjeet Singh Saholi, Jaswinder Singh Baliewal, state president of SAD (Delhi), Jasdeep Singh Konke, Balwinder Singh Bhullar, Baljinder Singh Jindu, Gurdeep Singh Gosha, . More than twenty Sikh workers are reported to have been arrested along with Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema. Baba Baljeet Singh Daduwal is reported to have been arrested along six of his companions. Similarly, Nawanshehr district leadership of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani is also put in prison.
These arrests are reported to have been made in wake of mass response by the people of Punjab towards Punjab shut-down (bandh) call given by the Joint committee formed by Sikh organizations.
An independent observer opined these arrests are aimed at preventing mass mobilization in Punjab. Badal Government want to pacify the public response and break the movement that had started to gain organized form since declaration of execution of Sikh political prisoner Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana. “They want to lock up leadership so mass movement will remain leaderless and can be quashed” he added.