"What is there to celebrate about Punjabi Suba golden jubilee?" Sikh groups ask Punjab govt

JALANDHAR: When SAD-BJP government is going in for big celebrations to mark golden jubilee of reorganization of Punjab, Sikh organizations Dal Khalsa, Sikh Federation UK and All India Sikh Students Federation have questioned that SAD led state government should first tell the people there is nothing to celebrate. They have also announced to hold a parallel programme on November 1 "to present the real picture of Punjab to shame the present day rulers of both centre and state" and to tell the people of Punjab that what really has been lost in the last 50 years.
Addressing a press conference here, Dal Khalsa president Harpal Singh Cheema, former president H S Dhami said that a conference on November 1 would be organized at Pheruman (near Amritsar) village of Darshan Singh Pheruman who gave his life after remaining on fast unto death to demand transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab.
"There is nothing substantial to celebrate the day and rather the celebrations tantamount to insult of martyrs of Punjabi Suba," they said. "Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and his government and party should tell the people that had their long pending demands been met for which agitations were launched. They should also tell the people that what have they achieved in terms of long pending issues of the state and which were rather raised by the SAD and its leaders asked people to make sacrifices," they said.
Cheema said that on Punjab day they would undertake a 'freedom march' from Pheruman to Akal Takhat to highlight the genuine concerns and real aspirations of its people. Meanwhile Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said they would bring out a booklet highlighting 50 points of discrimination and injustices that Punjab had faced in the last 50 years. Meanwhile they said that when they raised the issue of changing demography of the state with influx of migrants they were accused by SAD and others of regional parochialism but now SAD and Congress leaders were raising issue of Punjab for Punjabis when they were facing political threat from AAP. AISSF leader Advocate Parminder Singh Dhingra said their group would stage a protest rally on Nov 3 to observe the 32 ^nd anniversary of November 1984 carnage.