KHADOOR SAHIB, Punjab (September 19, 2012)–During a political rally organized by the Shiromani Akali Dal (B), the Punjab Police committed a horrendous act and removed turbans of various Sikhs who were protesting peacefully for their rights. The rally was organized on occasion of Guru Arjun Dev Ji’s Gurgaddi Gurpurab and the Akali Dal (B) was rallying to narrate its various “religious achievements” made in past several years.
The rally included presence of various prominent Akali Dal (B), Bhartiya Janta Party and SGPC leaders. During the speech of Parkash Badal, Chief Minister Punjab, some unemployed workers were seen protesting against Government employment policies. It was during this speech that the Punjab police started harassing and abusing the protestors. Several were dragged from the event to police custody, and in process, turbans of many were removed. Several members of the Akali Dal (B) and Bhartiya Janta Party were seen accompanying the police.
Badal’s speech fell short of promoting its agenda when the religious rights of the Sikhs were abused in front of him. Turbans of unemployed workers were snatched and thrown in the air jointly by the Punjab Police and Government officials. All this did not seem to bother Parkash Badal or his party as he went onto talk about various memorials constructed to promote religious values of the Sikhs.
It has been reported that the police took 73 members of the Unemployed Linemen’s Union into custody. These persons were arrested merely because they were demanding jobs at the rally of Akali Dal (B). Soma Singh, the Chief Advisor of the Union also alleged that many of the union members were also beaten in police custody. A case has also been registered against union members for “creating ruckus and interfering in government duty”.
Additional pictures of Police/Government Brutality -
