Government should withdraw its notification to remove pictures of Bhindranwale from PRTC buses; Dal Khalsa serves ultimatum

HOSHIARPUR: Objecting to the recent notification issued by PEPSU Transport Corporation Bathinda without mentioning the name of any particular person, to remove the pictures of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara on PRTC buses, the Dal Khalsa said the Sikhs won’t tolerate It and will oppose it tooth and nail.

Yesterday Baba Hardeep Singh Mehraj, Senior Vice President, Dal Khalsa, took stern notice in Bhatinda and warned the PRTC zonal manager to stop the operation immediately.

The Dal Khalsa organization held a press conference in this regard here today.

Giving the government 48 hours ultimatum till July 7, the leaders of the organization said that if the government did not stop the process of removing photographs by issuing written notices till then, they would paste pics of Sant Jarnail Singh and of Bhai Hawara on PRTC buses. He said that if there was a need to stop government transportation then they would not hesitate at all and the government would be responsible for it.

Talking to reporters, Dal Khalsa spokesperson Paramjit Singh Mand and Sikh Youth of Punjab President Gurnam Singh Moonak and Ranvir Singh said that Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a martyr of the Sikh community and Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara was a respected personality who fought for the rights of Punjab and Panth. He said that both the personalities were fully respected in Punjab and the Sikh community would not tolerate their disrespect at all.

He said that earlier such acts were also seen in Himachal Pradesh and Haryana where the youth were humiliated by the administration for carrying pictures and stickers of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and now the Punjab government has spoiled the atmosphere in Punjab due to its nasty and unwarranted orders.

Mand said that all Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, Muslims etc. from all over Punjab were living peacefully and in harmony but the governments were trying to sow discord between different religions by issuing such uncomfortable notifications.

Accusing the government officials of intimidating the drivers and conductors through the notification, he said that if any action was taken against any bus driver or conductor for removing pictures of these esteemed personalities, they would stand by the drivers and conductors.

He appealed to the people of Punjab to put pictures of martyrs on their personal vehicles like cars, motorcycles etc.