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| Punjab police remove Sikh's turban |
Will Campaign to Declare Punjab Police as 'Terrorist Organization"
In a disturbing incident in Mohali, a young Sikh man's turban was forcibly removed in broad day light by a police officer on the orders of another senior officer of Punjab Police. The incident proves that SAD (Badal) have not only failed to protect the dignity of Sikh articles of faith but they are also engaged in intentional desecration of Sikh turban.
The incident took place on March 28, 2011 when pharmacists from Punjab exercising their fundamental right gathered in Mohali for a peaceful sit-in to high light their demands. Punjab police on the orders of Badal Government first cane charged the gathering in which women were beaten mercilessly by Punjab Police. Not satisfied after beating the women, senior officers of Punjab Police then ordered the police to forcibly remove turbans of Sikhs who were present in the gathering. Footage with audio and video clearly showing a Sikh police officer order another police officer to forcibly remove a Sikh's turban has emerged.
According to human rights lawyer and legal advisor to SJF Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, forcibly removing the turban of a Sikh is the worst form of religious persecution and violation of Sikh human rights, especially when it takes place in Punjab, the homeland of Sikhs under the government headed by a Sikh.
Concerned with the growing slogans of revenge for Mohali incident vocalized on the web, SFJ coordination committee appealed to the Sikh community not to take law into their hands and instead support SFJ and AISSF in perusing legal course of action over the Mohali incident.
SFJ will approach the governments of United States, Canada and European Union to declare Punjab Police as a "terrorist organization" for the recent incidents of torture in custody, extra judicial killings and blatant desecration of Sikh articles of faith in Mohali, all of which establish a practice and policy of Punjab Police of violating Sikh human rights.
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Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is a human rights organization, striving to disseminate true and correct information, statistics, figures and data regarding the Genocide of Sikhs (1984-1997) that took place in India with particular emphasis on the genocidal events of November 1984. With the support of Sikh community, SFJ is working to bring international community, International Human Organizations and Governments to recognize the attacks on Sikhs (1984-97) as "Genocide" defined in Article 2 of U.N. Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
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Related story:
SP, SHO suspended for ‘removing turban’
Express News Service
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/SP--SHO-suspended-for--removing-turban-/769460/
Mohali Superintendent of Police (SP)-Detective Pritam Singh and Phase VIII Station House Officer (SHO) Sub-Inspector Kul Bhushan were placed under suspension on Wednesday evening with immediate effect. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the Home Affairs portfolio, suspended the police officials for allegedly “hurting the sentiments of Sikhs by removing the turban of a Sikh protester during a protest staged by retrenched rural veterinary pharmacists and class IV employees near the PCA Stadium, Mohali, on Monday”.
Taking a serious view of the incident, Sukhbir also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the “disrespect shown to the Sikh religion”.
“We will take stern action against anyone found guilty of showing disrespect to turban or any religious symbol of the Sikhs or other communities. There is absolutely zero tolerance to any such act of this nature committed by anyone, regardless of the position held by the guilty. No one will be spared in this regard,” asserted Sukhbir.
He directed DGP P S Gill to ensure complete compliance of the government orders issued in this regard.