Amritsar, March 27: An important gathering of Sikh sampradas, organizations, scholars, journalists and intellectuals was held today at Sri Akal Takht Sahib to discuss the atmosphere of restlessness in the minds of Sikhs due to the current situation in Punjab and the illegal arrests of Sikh youths.
Speaking during the meeting, Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh announced that Khalsa Wahir will be carried out under the leadership of Sri Akal Takht Sahib against drugs and patit lifestyle (not as per Sikh code of conduct) to make Sikh youths Amritdhari (initiated) and gave a 24 hours ultimatum to government to release arrested Sikh youths.
The Jathedar said that the National Security Act imposed on several youths should be immediately removed, the seized vehicles of the Sikhs who were peacefully protesting at Harike’s headworks should be released immediately and the withheld/banned web channels and social media accounts should be activated immediately.
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) was ordered to initiate strict legal action against concerned Punjab police officers, who wrongly propagated the flag and symbols of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Khalsa State and the Sikh princely states as those of Khalistan. The Jathedar Akal Takht Sahib also asked the Sikhs to display flags of the Khalsa state on their vehicles and houses to stop the government’s false propaganda against the flags and symbols related to the Sikh heritage.
During the meeting held at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said that today a very brainy and diplomatic siege is being carried out by the state against the Sikhs, which should be answered diplomatically without being violent and there is a need to create collective capacity among Sikhs.
“On one hand, in this democratic and communally diverse India, announcements are made publicly to create a Hindu Rashtra by suppressing the minorities, but no action is being taken against the people who make such inflammatory statements. On the other hand, governments do not take long to impose black laws on Sikhs who present their views while staying in the scope of democracy”, said Giani Harpreet Singh.
He said that if the government does not end the atmosphere of terror by releasing all the youth within 24 hours, then a campaign will be initiated diplomatically in the country and abroad against the atmosphere created by the Indian state of committing excesses on the Sikhs. He also said that legal action will be taken by Sikh organizations against the character assassination of Sikhs by the government through the national media.
SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami announced a panel of lawyers to help the Sikh youths booked under the National Security Act and provide other legal assistance to those who are victims of government repression. He also appealed to the families of the arrested Sikh youths that they should immediately contact the SGPC so that legal assistance can be provided to them.
Meanwhile, the many speakers who arrived at the gathering also unanimously agreed on the need to take a big stand at the intellectual and diplomatic level against the injustice being committed on the Sikh community and expressed confidence in the leadership of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Present in the meeting included head granthi of Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib Giani Jagtar Singhm Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami, Baba Balvir Singh head of Shiromani Panth Akali Buddha Dal, Baba Avtar Singh Sursingh, former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Jasvir Singh Rode, Manjit Singh GK, Bhupinder Singh of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, chief spokesperson of Damdami Taksal Baba Sukhdev Singh, and Sikh personalities from different fields.
