“Playing with the sentiments of the Sikh community will not be tolerated”: MLA Jeevan Jyot Kaur, Dr. Nijjar and Minister ETO
Amritsar, September 1 (K.L. Jit Walia): Senior leaders, office-bearers and a large number of workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a strong protest outside the residence of BJP National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh on Monday. The protesters expressed strong objection to reports that some BJP MPs had visited the residence of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar to offer condolences following his death.
AAP leaders said Sajjan Kumar had been convicted in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and sentenced to life imprisonment. They alleged that BJP MPs visiting his residence to express condolences was hurtful to the sentiments of the Sikh community and raised serious questions about the BJP’s position on the sensitive issue.
Addressing the protest, MLA Jeevan Jyot Kaur, MLA Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, MLA Dr. Ajay Gupta and Madam Sonia Mann said that no political party should adopt double standards on highly sensitive issues concerning the Sikh community.
They said that the wounds suffered by the Sikh community are still fresh and that political leaders must act with sensitivity and responsibility in such matters.
AAP leaders further alleged that the BJP’s approach towards Punjab has repeatedly come under scrutiny and that the present incident had once again hurt the sentiments of Punjab and the Sikh community. They said that the injustice suffered by Sikhs cannot simply be forgotten and that the community would continue to oppose actions perceived as showing sympathy towards convicted or controversial individuals.
A large number of AAP leaders and workers participated in the protest, including MLA Dr. Jasbir Singh Sandhu, Amritsar Improvement Trust Chairman Sarbjot Singh Dhanjal, Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatiya, North Assembly constituency in-charge Karamjit Singh Rintu, Senior Deputy Mayor Priyanka Sharma, Kunal Dhawan, Lok Sabha constituency in-charge Jarnail Singh Dhot, Jaskaran Bandisha, Balwinder Singh Billa, AAP Legal Wing Majha Zone Chairman Advocate Harpal Singh Nijjar, Dikshit Dhawan, Tarunveer Candy, senior AAP leader Ritesh Sharma, Gaurav Aggarwal, Pranav Dhawan, Dimple Arora, Pankaj Sharma, Kamal Kumar, Trade Wing East Assembly constituency Chairman Kapil Chaddha, PA Maninder Singh, Abhishek Bansal, Sheetal Juneja, Raheel Khanna, Sachin Bhatia, Harpreet Singh Ahluwalia, Ajit Singh, Aashu Bansal, Rajwinder Kaur, Vishakha Singh Aulakh, Manjit Mann, Pooja, Dilbagh Singh Wadali, Prabha, Councillor Dharamjit Bobby, Narinder Dutta, Raja Iqbal Singh, Dimpy Chauhan, Harpreet Singh Bedi, Kulwant Singh Wadali, Vicky Dutta, Pankaj Sharma, Lali Sarangra and Advocate Raman Kumar, among others.
The protesters unanimously said that political double standards on sensitive issues concerning the Sikh community would not be tolerated and that they would continue to raise their voice in defence of the sentiments and dignity of the Sikh community and the people of Punjab.
KL JIT WALIA
