Dal Khalsa, SAD (A) to hold dharna in Srinagar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 5

The Dal Khalsa and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) on Thursday announced to hold a dharna at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on the occasion of International Human Rights Day on December 10. In a press conference here on Thursday, Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwal Pal Singh alleged that worst human rights violations occurred in Kashmir, especially after the abrogation of Article 370.

He said they would observe Rights Day with the people of Kashmir who witnessed violations of human rights. “The fundamental rights of the people of Kashmir are our primary concern and it will be our endeavour to highlight the plight of Kashmiris,” he said.

Giving a call to human rights defenders to join the peaceful sit-in at the Lal Chowk, he said teams of both the organisations, led by Simranjit Singh Mann and Harpal Singh Cheema, would proceed towards Kashmir from Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur on December 9 and reach Srinagar the next morning. He said United Akali Dal president Gurdeep Singh Bhatinda and Akal Federation head Narien Singh would also join the march.

The body also appealed to all human rights bodies and civil rights groups worldwide to spare a thought for the people of Kashmir when they would observe 72 years of World Human Rights Day in their states and countries.

Deriding international bodies for paying only lip-service to the cause of Kashmir, the Dal Khalsa said, “The suppressed people of Kashmir need relief, support and an international voice to uphold their rights.”

Kanwal Pal Singh said the Dal Khalsa would voice concern over the systematic denial of justice in Punjab in the Maur Bomb blast case, the Behbal Kalan firing case and Bargarhi sacrilege cases. “The Dal Khalsa will also take up the cause of custodial torture, illegal detention and harassment of undertrials, prevalence of archaic laws like 124-A, UAPA, denial of reprieve to political prisoners and special concessions to police personnel responsible for human rights abuses,” he said.

Replying to a query regarding the BJP government’s alleged U-turn on commuting the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, he said the Modi-led UPA government had committed a fraud against Sikhs that too in the name of giving a special remission to Sikh prisoners on the sacred occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev.