Shillong, Meghalaya: A high-level delegation sent to Shillong by Punjab CM Amarinder Singh met the Sikhs residing in Shillong’s Punjabi lane and assured them of full support to protect their fundamental rights.
The delegation, led by Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, met many members of the Sikh community settled in Shillong, and is scheduled to meet Shillong Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday, reads a press release issued by the Punjab CM’s Office.
“The Punjab government will take all possible steps to bring the current dispute to an amicable settlement, said Randhawa, adding that infringement of the civil right of the Sikhs who were settled in Shillong for over 200 years would not be allowed at any cost”, the statement reads.
Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said the Punjab Chief Minister was fully seized of the matter and was personally in touch with his Meghalyan counterpart, and was monitoring the situation constantly.
The local Sikhs told the delegation that the administration had dubbed the area where they were settled as a slum and wanted them to evict. The delegation said they were here to find a peaceful solution to the problem and would discuss the matter with the Meghalayan chief minister. The local Sikhs had contributed immensely to the state and should be integrated here, the delegation felt.
The delegation also visited Gurdwara Nanak Darbar, where the Gurdwara president, Gurjeet Singh, apprised them of the lease status of the premises and complained that they were being forcibly sought to be evicted by the incumbent government in Meghalaya. The Gurdwara management had filed a contempt petition in the High Court, Gurjeet told the delegation.
In the state to assess the ground situation first hand, the delegation has, MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa and MLAs Kulbir Singh Zira and Kuldeep Singh Vaid as members. Special Secretary Planning D S Mangat is also accompanying the delegation.