AMRITSAR: AISSF President Karnail Singh Peermohammad, 1984 Genocide victim and witness Bibi Jagdish Kaur, Bibi Manjit Kaur, head sewadar of Bhai Fauja Singh Trust along with 50 people have been rounded up by the police here today from the city Bus Stand when they were attempting to prevent State Transport buses to hit on roads. All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) and Sikh Students Federation Mehta (SSF) gave a call for ‘Punjab Bandh” on November 1st.
Decrying the move, Bibi Jagdish Kaur said “We wanted to observe this day as a Black Day today after 30 years in a peaceful manner to give the message that we haven’t got justice. But what kind of justice is this that they picked up people and put them in police vans and arrested them. We wanted all religions and the political parties to support our silent protest.”
“The government is really the culprit and is to be blamed. They have kept our hopes alive with fake promises. And today we were protesting in a peaceful manner but were arrested for which the government is also to be blamed,” she added.
Taking a strong exception to the arrests of AISSF President Karnail Singh Peermohammad and Bibi Jagdish Kaur by the Badal government, “Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ) a US based human rights group gave a call to boycott the members of the SAD (Badal) during their planned visits to North America and European Union.
“The arbitrary arrests of victims who planned to highlight the denial of justice and impunity to those who organized 1984 killing of Sikhs has exposed the SAD (Badal) which have been just using the issue of Sikh genocide to garner votes during elections. The Badal government’s action on 30th year of Sikh Genocide clearly defines why justice has eluded the 1984 victims for the last thirty years” stated attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Legal Advisor, SFJ.
It is notable that despite arrests of prominent leaders, Amritsar city witnessed complete shut down today. According to areport by Hindustan Times, rail traffic remained normal till afternoon, however the city witnessed total bandh as educational institutions, shops and most of commercial establishments remained closed.