Monday, 13 September 2010
HOSHIARPUR: In the backdrop of the Vishav Hindu Parishad (VHP) president meeting Jathedar Akal Takht and CM Parkash Singh Badal to seek Sikh support for raising Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the Dal Khalsa Monday asked the Sikh leadership to remain aloof from Mandir-Masjid dispute.
In a statement party head H S Dhami, general secretary Dr Manjinder Singh and spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh criticized VHP for dragging Sikhs in their religious feud. The lobbying by VHP head Ashok Singhal with top Sikh leadership must be seen with suspicion, said they.
Recently, threatening letters were dropped in the houses of valley Sikhs aiming to sow the seeds of discard between Sikhs and Muslims. And now VHP asking Sikh support for erecting the Mandir on the disputed land reflects the similar design, they alleges.
Urging the Sikh leadership to tread cautiously, they said being minority community it' not in the interest of Sikhs to be seen doing any harm to another minority, which like them (Sikhs) has also faced the desecration of their religious places. Moreover, by maintaining an equal distance from Mandir-Masjid controversy, we would not only dispel all misconceptions and notions spread by RSS that Sikhs are part of Hindus but also re-establish that Sikhs are separate and independent people.
We stand for warm and cordial relations with all be it Hindu, Muslim, Christian, they said. However, the Sikhs canât afford to side with demolishers of Babri Masjid, notwithstanding SAD alliance with the BJP.
They took a serious note of remarks made by Canadian MP Ujjal Dosanjh in which he tried to malign the Sikh youth residing in Canada by accusing them of nurturing Khalistani ideology. The tone and tenor of the Ujjal Dosanjh was similar to that of Indiaâs MEA officials who during PM Dr Manmohan Singhâs visit to US and Canada publicly accused Canadian Sikhs of enhancing Khalistani activities. By his uncalled and unfounded remarks made on Indian soil, Mr Dosanjh has tried to appease Indian establishment to extract undue favours for him.
Dal Khalsa leaders came down heavily on Punjab government for its maltreatment towards jobless ETT teachers. Everyday they were being beaten, humiliated and insulted by 'll-powerful' police giving an impression that Punjab is still a police state, where there was no place for democratic protests.