Chandigarh: As the Punjab government has failed to do anything substantial against Beadbi and Saka Behbal Kalan culprits named in Justice Ranjit Singh Commission’s report, the ‘Insaaf Morcha’ in Bargari continues to attract support from the masses.
Amidst it all, a Punjab cabinet minister Tript Ranjinder Singh Bajwa, who has been holding talks with the morcha organisers has back stepped.
A report in Hindustan Times (HT) quotes Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa saying that he was no more part of the talks.
Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa with Bhai Baljit Singh Daduwal, Jaskaran Singh, Gurdeep Singh and others | File Photo used for representational purpose
“I was talking to them on the behalf of the chief minister. It was in the state’s interest to keep a channel of communication open. All their demands were met except the ones which are not under our jurisdiction or legally permissible” he reportedly maintained. He reportedly said that the Punjab government can not release those sentenced to imprisonment under TADA, a central Act.
“Since one of the demands of the Bargari morcha was the release of Sikh prisoners, I was involved. The CM has written letters to his counterparts in Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. Just eight of these prisoners are in Punjab jails. They too have been given parole. Releasing those arrested under TADA can only be decided by the Centre,” a report in HT quotes him.
“Their demands and political ambition are both growing. Huge donations are flowing in. They now want control over the SGPC and are hobnobbing with rebels of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to occupy the Panthic vacuum created by discrediting of the Akali Dal” he reportedly alleged.
Morcha Organizers Scrap Accusations:
On the other hand organisers of the Bargari Insaaf Morcha have scrapped the allegations levelled by Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa.
Bhai Dhian Singh Mand, Bhai Baljeet Singh Daduwal and others [File Photo]
They say that the government has failed to do anything substantial regarding the demands of the morcha. Instead of arresting Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Sumedh Saini for their role in Punjab police firing on Sikhs at Behbal Kalan, the Amarinder Singh government facilitated the police personnel to get interim relief from high court, the said.
The Punjab government has also failed to deliver anything on the issue of Sikh political prisoners, they say.
Bhai Dhian Singh Mand said that there were only 3 demands and they still remain the same. We have not added any new demand rather the fact is that the government has failed to do anything to solve these core issues, he added.
Punjab Government Seems to Lack Requisite Political Will:
Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur [File Photo]
Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, who maintains the list of Sikh political prisoners opined that the Punjab government seems to lack the requisite political will to solve the issue of Sikh political prisoners. He said that the Punjab government can pass “permanent parole” law to grant the due relief to majority of Sikh political prisoners. He said that the Punjab ministers, including Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa was informed about this legal option in detail. They were also informed that Rajasthan already has similar statute.
Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur said that by making such a law the state government can grant relief to Sikh political prisoners who are sentenced to imprisonment for law under TADA or any other central law as the state government have constitutional power to enact laws related to jail administration. He said that the option was also explained to previous SAD (B)-BJP government also but it seems that like his predecessor Capt. Amarinder Singh is unable to collect the requisite political will to solve this issue.