The Punjab Congress on Wednesday urged the Badal Government to take a lenient view and release 31 youths arrested for violence during the Operation Bluestar anniversary function.
Thirty-one young boys were arrested from the precincts of Darbar Sahib on June 6 during the Operation Bluestar anniversary function. Most of the youths, in their early 20s, swayed by religious emotions, brandished swords, raised pro-Khalistan and pro-Bhindranwala slogans and clashed with the SGPC task force.
“As per the investigations conducted by the Amritsar Police, the youths acted spontaneously, instinctively and without any prior planning. They are also in no manner connected with any radical group or hardline “panthic” organisation, none has a criminal record in the past. As per the police, the youth were swayed by anti-Operation Bluestar propaganda on social media sites,” pointed the Congress leader and former MlA Sukhpal Khaira.
He said that they were also influenced and carried away by the reports that “a fanatic fundamentalist group was planning to stage a dharna outside the Golden Temple to oppose the Operation Blue Star anniversary function”.
“While one youth traveled all the way from England to participate in the anniversary, another young boy is merely 19 years of age. The police have ruled out any conspiracy by these youth or any connection what so ever to any Khalistani organization etc,” added Khaira.
He said: “Keeping in view the tenderness of age and spontaneity of emotional reaction, the Badal government is urged to take a lenient view and unconditionally release all 31 arrested youngsters, without any further delay. This magnanimous gesture would encourage these youth to introspect and think positively, any rigid action would only further encourage them to become hardcore Khalistani supporters or even criminals.”