Jalandhar/Punjab (October 02, 2012): Akali Dal Panch Pardhani today held a press conference at Press club Jalandhar to to present it’s view-point regarding alleged continuous efforts of Punjab Police, Punjab Government and Intelligence & Security agencies of India to crush political dissent raised by ADPP.
Briefing the matter before the media ADPP Secretary General, Bhai Mandhir Singh told “Akali Dal Panch Pardhani President Bhai Kulbir Singh Barapind and former president Bhai Daljit Singh were undemocratically arrested, detailed and tortured by the Punjab police in pursuance of process initiated by the State to crush the dissenting ideology of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani”.
He claimed that ADPP leaders were subjected to physical and metal torture in custody and “Punjab police and India’s security agencies, through their false and sensational propaganda, were attempting to unleash the region of terror against ADPP”.
Police and agencies were attempting to defame, marginalise and humiliate ADPP circles to fulfil their ulterior motive – i.e. ousting ADPP from filed of democratic activity. This is a minacious desire that is not going to serve anything good to anyone, Mandhir Singh added.
About the role of Punjab police, the ADPP leaders claimed that corrupt and power-greedy elements leading Punjab police were creating the havoc of “revival of militancy” to fulfil their ominous “power-lust” and this havoc was being used by Punjab police officers to secure promotions, high pay scales, luxurious and high profile facilities and extra-judicial powers.
“In recent past these extra-judicial powers were used to eliminate the youth of Punjab and these elements in Punjab police are keeping an evil desire to repeat it again to secure their positions and promotions” said Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema, a senior leader of ADPP. He further claimed that besides political dissenters, even civilian population of Punjab was also victimized by Punjab police through this inhuman phenomena, and there are plenty of examples of prove this fact.
Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur told reporters that the Punjab police had continuously failed to substantiate it’s allegations against ADPP leaders in the courts despite their huge claims to bust large conspiracies that were being allegedly hatched against security or unity & integrity of India.
“For instance, in 2009 Bhai Daljit Singh and other leaders of ADPP were charged under notorious “Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act” (UAPA) but during last three years of trial police and prosecution have drastically failed to present any witness or evidence to substantiate their accusations against ADPP leaders” he claimed.
ADPP has further alleged that “rule of law”, in Punjab, was being regularly violated and notorious laws were being misused to falsely implicate, arrest and detain ADPP leaders. In recent case, Bhai Daljit Singh and Bhai Kulbir Singh Barapind are implicated under “The Arms Act, 1959” and “The Explosives Act, 1884” without any recovery. It a matter of concern that when the FIR was lodged against both the leaders on early morning of September 21, 2012 they were already lodged in Ludhiana Jail under preventive detention.
Legally published and openly available books and magazines are being termed as “anti-national literature” and for constructive possession of these books etc. both the leaders are booked for “waging war against the State” besides various sections of “UAPA”. This is sheer misuse of law and legal process.
“Moreover, UAPA is now being widely misused against the Sikh leaders, the way TADA was misused against the Sikhs two decades back and the way POTA was misused against Muslim minority in Gujrat and elsewhere in India” Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema claimed.
ADDP also lashed at ruling regime of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) by claiming that it was equally responsible for barbaric acts committed by Punjab police in recent days.
“Badal Dal is allowing all these “evil” deeds because it takes Akali Dal Panch Pardhani as it’s potential opponent in Sikh politics” said Bhai Cheema.
“Moreover, ADPP had exposed Badal Dal and Punjab Government’s misdeeds such as extending support of Deras, mis-utilization of resources of SGPC etc. Recently ADPP had launched campaign to drag Badal Dal, Punjab Government or SGPC regime led by Badal Dal in the courts and challenge their actions legally. Therefore, in retaliation the Badal Dal has allowed freehand to Punjab Police for oppression against ADPP leaders” he added.
It was maintained in today’s press conference that since the organization of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani in 2007, it’s founding President Bhai Daljit Singh had to face arrests several times. In August/September 2009 he was implicated under UAPA and he was release only in February 2012. In August 2012, ADPP General Assembly elected new President in accordance with rotation mandated by ADPP Constitution and Bhai Kulbir Singh Barapind was unanimously elected as President of ADPP.
To harm the organizational practise of the organization, the State has implicated both sitting and former President of Panch Pardhani.
Therefore, in wake of challenge posed by the State, ADPP Executive, in consultation with prisoned leaders had decided that till the release of party president Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema shall organize the party as acting president of ADPP.
Akali Dal Panch Pardhani leaders further informed that they would be holding a protest demonstration at Chandigarh on October 08, 2012 to register a protest against ongoing oppression on ADPP leaders in Punjab.
ADPP has appealed to all Sikh organizations, Human rights bodies and people of consciousness to participate in this demonstration and raise the voice of truth.