SAD delegation to call on Union HM on Sikh issues: Release documents on Op Bluestar
A delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal led by the President Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal will call on the Union Home Minister Shri Raj Nath Singh to ask the Govt of India to release the secret documents pertaining to the tragic army assault on Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib and other sacred Sikh shrines in June 1984 in addition to securing documents from the UK government regarding the role of the government f that country in this tragedy. The delegation will also seek the release of all Sikh prisoners languishing in jails after the expiry of their sentence in addition to urging the Government of India to immediately restore and release the compensation to the Jodhpur detenus. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the party high command of the party here late last evening.
Giving details of the meeting of the party high command, the party’s spokesperson, Mr Harcharan Bains told newspersons today that the delegation would urge the Government of India to implement the Swaminathan Report on farm prices ensuring that farmers get at least 50% over and above their cost of production. Agriculture is no longer a remunerative profession. On the contrary, the farming community including farmers and farm labour, is facing one of the worst crises in history which has endangered their very survival.
The situation is so grave that there has been a massive exodus from agriculture but there are not enough alternative avenues for farmers and farm labour to turn to. As a result, they have been pushed into the horrific specter of suicides by farmers and farm labour.”The situation demands urgent and immediate and effective initiative from the government to save the lives of millions of farmers and farm labour said Mr Bains.
In another decision, the party high command also decided to urge the Government of India to bring petrol and diesel under the GST so as to rationalsie and reduce the burden of the exorbitant prices on the common man. Accordingly, the delegation would seek an immediate decision on the issue so that the common gets relief.
Mr Bains said that the delegation will also seek the intervention of the Union Home Minister to resolve the issue of historic Gurdwara Dang Mar Sahib. Similarly, the delegation will also seek the intervention of the Union Home Minister to remove the grievances of the Sikh community in Shillong. “There is a very acute sense of insecurity in the minds of the Sikhs living there. This is sending an adverse signal to minorities throughout the country, the Core Committee. Regarding Shillong, the Sikhs have been living there peacefully and have contributed in a big way to the development and prosperity of the region. The delegation would ask the Union Home Minister that the Sikhs should be given ownership rights on the places they have been living or working at for decades, said Mr Bains.
