AMRITSAR SAHIB—The Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh on June 25 said that his government is ready to pay the full amount of compensation to Jodhpur detainees if the Union government of India manifests obdurate behavior in this concern. It is learnt that Captain Amarinder Singh has conveyed his decision to the Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba as the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is on a foreign trip.
It is pertinent to note here that the Union government of India has challenged the Amritsar Court’s verdict in Punjab & Haryana High Court. Recently, the Jodhpur detainees had met Akali parliamentarians as well as the Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh in this concern.
The issue was also raked up by a delegation of Akali parliamentarians before the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh but no development has been observed in this concern despite high promises by the Union Home Minister.
Expressing the hope that the Centre would be forthcoming with its 50 per cent share of the compensation awarded by an Amritsar court, he said if, for any reason, the Centre failed to pay its share, the state government would take over the entire liability and ensure that the detainees got justice.
“The Centre should immediately withdraw its appeal in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the compensation,” he demanded. Pointing out that the detainees had suffered for years for no fault of theirs, the Chief Minister called for a uniform policy to deal with all such cases.
It may be recalled here that in April last year the District and Sessions Court of Amritsar had directed the Union government of India as well as the State government of Punjab to provide compensation worth Rupees 4,00,000/- (plus interest as per Banking rate) to Jodhpur detainees.
All Sikhs detained should be free without seeking centre approval, especially youth who were recently arrested for upholding Gurbani honor by doing needed attack on Gurbani beadbi culprit!