‘Shameful that AAP has turned gurudwaras into cantonments’: Senior SAD leader

Former MP and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader, Professor Prem Singh Chandumajra on Wednesday condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for committing atrocities against farmers and devotees at the historic Amb Sahib gurdwara, stating the move was reminiscent of the atrocities committed against the Sikh community by the Congress party.
Addressing a press conference here, Chandumajra said, “It is shameful that the AAP government has turned gurdwaras into cantonments and even ousted devotees from its premises on the assumption that they had come there to support Kisan organisations that had planned a protest at Chandigarh to demand fair compensation for flood-ravaged farmers of the State”. Terming the act a direct interference in the religious affairs of the Sikh community, Chandumajra said “The disrespect shown to the Sikh community has reminded the community about the ‘raj’ of Beant Singh. I request Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann not to tread the same path as its repercussions would not be in the interest of the State of its people”.
He also asked the CM to issue immediate orders to the state police not to hinder devotees visiting gurdwaras to pay their obeisance. “I have also requested the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president to take up the issue and register a strong protest against the mistreatment of devotees who were forcefully taken out of the gurdwara premises. Such incidents hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community. The AAP government should ensure communal peace is not destroyed in the State under its watch”. He added that the AAP government could not impose prohibitory orders in gurdwaras and the force used on farmers was “illegal and against democratic principles”. “The Chandigarh administration had given farmers permission to hold a protest in the UT. The Punjab government is not within its rights to stop them from entering the UT”, he added.
The SAD leader also expressed solidarity with the cause of the Kisan organisations and said the SAD supported their fight to secure justice for farmers. “The SAD had also started a party programme to force the AAP government to pay fair compensation to farmers from Devigarh yesterday and said this would be expanded across the State. Even though the government has baulked and released Rs 186 crore yesterday after the ‘dharna’, this is too little. We demand the government release Rs 50,000 per acre as compensation for farmers whose paddy crop was destroyed and Rs 2 lakh to all those whose houses were damaged.”