Trains to be stopped in Punjab on Nov 1 to protest 1984 massacre

JALANDHAR: Even as Sikh organizations, including two aligning with SAD (Badal), have given a call for complete Punjab "bandh" on November 1 and for stopping of trains, they have alleged that Akali Dal-led Punjab government had also betrayed the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and had not done enough to rehabilitate them.
These organizations and victims have also asked SAD (Badal) to get a special investigation team (SIT) constituted as they are partners in the Union government, instead of demanding a commission of inquiry, which the SAD has been demanding recently.
In a joint press conference here on Monday, Karnail Singh Peermohamad-led All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF), Danga Peedat Welfare Society and Paramjit Singh Khalsa-led Sikh Students Federation (SSF) announced that trains would also be stopped in Punjab from 5 am to 10 am on November 1.
Peermohamad said that Punjab government and SGPC should also support the bandh call as it was a cause of the entire community.
As the leaders rued that victims were still not being rehabilitated completely, welfare society president Surjit Singh Dugri, who has been campaigning for SAD in every election, said that SAD-led Punjab government was also responsible for the victims' ordeal continuing till now. Asked why he had been campaigning for SAD in every election, he said, "SAD has been assuring us to take care of all issues before every election, but they delivered only a little in terms of rehabilitation."
Society leader Gurdeep Kaur said they were being betrayed by the SAD and the issue of the victims was being capitalized by the party for political gains only. "After winning elections, they don't listen to us and have not even visited the areas of victims even once, despite our pleas," she said.
Jagdish Kaur, a witness against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, also questioned Punjab chief minister's move to demand a commission of inquiry. "The entire Akali leadership promised us to work for formation of a SIT during the hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in May last year. But after their government came to power, they have changed their demand to a commission. There have already been many commissions, what would another commission deliver, other than delaying the justice further," she said. Peermohamad and Surjit Dugri also said that only a SIT would be acceptable.