SAD demands dismissal of Sukhjinder Randhawa, Justice Ranjit Singh

Chandigarh August 21 –  Stating that the disclosure made by Himmat Singh have proved the assertions of Shiromani Akali Dal that  Justice Ranjit Singh Commission was ”a Congress Sarkari Commission”, the Shiromani Akali Dal today demanded the dismissal of Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from thePunjab cabinet and of Justice (Retd) Ranjit Singh from the Commission. The party demanded the registration of criminal cases against the two for “ committing grievous acts of creating false evidence on a sensitive religious issue of sacrilege of the holiest of the holy Shri Guru Granth Sahib.

Giving details of the meeting, party's spokesperson harcharan Singh Bains told newpersons that the party was firmly of the view that the Congress government was deliberately trying to attack the sacred and historic institutions of the Sikh quom     The SAD referred to the sensational disclosures made by Himmat Singh showing how he had been misled into signing the manipulated papers amounting to false evidence on the issue of sacrilege of Shri Guru Granth Sahib. Himmat Singh had never been summoned by the Commission but was forced into appearing before Ranjit Singh who further got him to sign a pre-scripted statement in English, a language which, according to him, he did not understand.

  In addition, Mr Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa got his signatures on other papers which were in Punjabi but without providing an opportunity to Himmat Singh to go through these. .  “ These sensational disclosures have vindicated the SAD stand that only a sitting judge of the hon’ble Supreme Court should inquire into the sequence of events of sacrilege ,” said the Core Committee of the party.          

“Justice Ranjit Singh has in the process, disgraced his profession and acted as a mouth-piece of the Congress government, that too on an issue affecting the religious sentiments of the Sikh masses. The Core Committee strongly condemned Justice Ranjit Singh’s unimaginable act of implying that the “Angs” of Shri Guru Granth Sahib should have been taken in possession and therefore treated as a case property which, according to him, should not have been kept in a Gurdwara. The Core Committee , said ,” This is against the tenets and Maryada of Sikh religion.”

 “Through these acts, Justice Ranjit Singh has caused incalculable hurt to the religious sentiments of the Sikh masses. The judge in his report has also launhed a direct attack on Sri Akal Takhat Sahib which the Sikh quom can never tolerate.   The core committee observed a two minute silence to express its  deepest condolences at the passing away of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon. The Committee noted that Shri Vajpayee was a friend of Punjab and Punjabis.

It put on record the former PM’s secular nature and his ability to take everyone along with him. It also noted that Shri Vajpayee had always been benevolent towards Punjab and was responsible for allocating the Rs 16,000 crore Bathinda refinary to the State. It also said Shri Vajpayee had shown magnanimity by allocating Rs 100 crore for the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa.

The core committee also lauded the role of Shri Balramji Dass Tandon in contributing towards peace and communal harmony during the turbulent time in the State’s history. It noted that Shri Tandon had also contributed immensely to the development of the State as minister. The committee expressed its deepest condolences with the families of both leaders