Jodhpur Detainees Speak Up Against SAD-BJP Alliance

AMRITSAR SAHIB—Reacting to the BJP led Indian government’s move of challenging Amritsar Court’s verdict recommending financial aid worth Rupees 4,00,000/- for the Jodhpur detainees, the Jodhpur prisoners have said that they won’t support SAD’s alliance with BJP in the upcoming Parliamentary elections due in 2019.

Around 40 Jodhpur detainees, who are currently associated with Sukhbir Badal led Shiromani Akali Dal, have openly announced to boycott their party’s alliance with BJP by terming the latter as an anti-Sikh party.     

It is pertinent to note here that hundreds of innocent Sikhs arrested during June-1984 holocaust were illegally detained in the Jodhpur jail.    

Interacting with media on June 17, S. Jasbir Singh Ghuman said that they have unanimously decided to conduct a march with Jodhpur victims’ families to oppose all BJP candidates contesting the Parliamentary Elections in Punjab, if the Centre doesn’t withdraw its petition from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

“It is up to the SAD to decide whether they want us or BJP that played anti-Sikh role. The Tiwana Commission report in May 1986 testified our illegal detention and torture by the police. We were officially declared innocent by the then Rajiv Gandhi-led Union government and a court here too announced compensation to us. Under what justification, the Modi-led BJP questions it now?” he said.

It may be recalled here that an Amritsar Court had directed both Centre and state governments to provide financial aid worth Rupees 4 lakh each to the detainees along with six per cent interest per annum from the date of filing the suit. Challenging these orders, the Centre has filed a plea in the Punjab & Haryana High Court and next hearing on this plea is due for July 2.