Muted celebrations in Punjab over stay on Rajoana hanging (India)
CHANDIGARH: A day after the Presidential stay on the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the assassination case of former chief minister Beant Singh, the celebrations in Punjab were muted on Thursday as the government ensured that no 'victory' processions were taken out in the state.
All the victory marches planned for Thursday were aborted by various Sikh organizations after Punjab police in a late night swoop had arrested over 20 leaders of radical organizations including Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Dal Khalsa, Panthic Sewa Lehara and SAD (Panch Pardhani).
Punjab government has also imposed section 144 of CrPc at various places in the state to prevent the gathering of individuals.
However, despite the arrests there was no let up in people congratulating each other over the phone or visiting gurdwaras for the thanksgiving prayers.
Members of various Sikh organizations had started visiting the gurdwaras on Wednesday evening as soon as the news of the stay on hanging broke and the thanksgiving prayers continued on Thursday also.
Sweets were also distributed by Sikhs and congratulated text messages continued to be sent and received on the cell phones.
The leaders who have been taken into preventive custody include SAD (A) president Simranjit Singh Mann, Panthic sewa Lehar leader Baljit Singh Daduwal, SAD (Panch Pardhani) president Daljit Singh Bittu and general Secretary Harpal Singh Cheema, and SAD (Delhi) state president Jaswinder Singh Balliewal.
Police officials said that the leaders were arrested to ensure communal harmony was not disturbed in the state as most of the Sikh radical organizations had planned victory processions in the state.
Officials added that the government also did not take the risk of letting radical organizations "exploit the situation."
All the victory marches planned for Thursday were aborted by various Sikh organizations after Punjab police in a late night swoop had arrested over 20 leaders of radical organizations including Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Dal Khalsa, Panthic Sewa Lehara and SAD (Panch Pardhani).
Punjab government has also imposed section 144 of CrPc at various places in the state to prevent the gathering of individuals.
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| Image Credit: http://www.babushahi.com |
However, despite the arrests there was no let up in people congratulating each other over the phone or visiting gurdwaras for the thanksgiving prayers.
Members of various Sikh organizations had started visiting the gurdwaras on Wednesday evening as soon as the news of the stay on hanging broke and the thanksgiving prayers continued on Thursday also.
Sweets were also distributed by Sikhs and congratulated text messages continued to be sent and received on the cell phones.
The leaders who have been taken into preventive custody include SAD (A) president Simranjit Singh Mann, Panthic sewa Lehar leader Baljit Singh Daduwal, SAD (Panch Pardhani) president Daljit Singh Bittu and general Secretary Harpal Singh Cheema, and SAD (Delhi) state president Jaswinder Singh Balliewal.
Police officials said that the leaders were arrested to ensure communal harmony was not disturbed in the state as most of the Sikh radical organizations had planned victory processions in the state.
Officials added that the government also did not take the risk of letting radical organizations "exploit the situation."
source: TOI
