The issue of alleged “torture” of Sikh youths in Delhi’s Tihar Jail and the “police atrocities” against the labour rights activists — Nodeep Kaur and Shiv Kumar — by Haryana Police rocked Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday, with the Speaker Rana KP Singh assuring the legislators to set up a House Committee to probe the matter.
The Speaker announced the setting up of the committee after many MLAs, cutting across party lines, raised the issue on the fifth day of the ongoing budget session. “We will form a committee which will get all facts and hold an in-depth probe into this matter and submit a report to the Vidhan Sabha,” said the Speaker.
The issue was raised by SAD MLA and former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia during the Zero Hour seeking an investigation of the alleged physical and mental harassment that the young activists had to undergo during the ongoing farmers’ agitation because of inhumane treatment by the Haryana Police.
Majithia alleged that the “religious symbols” of the Sikh youth, behind bars at Delhi’s Tihar Jail, were disrespected and they were being mentally tortured. “Even the Jails Minister of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi Government did nothing in this matter,” he said adding that the Delhi Government advocates were also opposing the bail pleas of the youths.
Dubbing as “inhumane” the police atrocities against Nodeep and her coworker Shiv Kumar, Majithia demanded action from the Punjab Government in their case. “Such heinous act committed by the BJP Government in Haryana and AAP’s government in Delhi has hurt the sentiments of Punjabis,” he added.
Refuting Majithia’s allegation, AAP MLA and the Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that our party colleague is Jail Minister in Delhi “and there is nothing like what Majithia is saying”.
“He is the same Jail Minister who had rejected the Centre’s demand to convert nine stadiums in Delhi into jails to suppress the farmers’ movement. AAP is also the one which has provided facilities to the farmers in Delhi,” said Cheema, adding that youths were tortured by the Delhi Police, which comes under the Union Government.
AAP’s “rebel” MLA from Bholath Sukhpal Singh Khaira also raised the issue of alleged torture by Haryana and Delhi Police, saying that Nawanshahr-resident Ranjit Singh, who was cooking meal for the farmers at the Singhu border, was brutally beaten by the police.
Khaira alleged that he was picked from the camp of farmers and taken into custody with the alleged help of the RSS and the BJP men.
Also raising the issue of police brutality against Ranjit Singh, Congress MLA from Nawanshahr Angad Singh Saini said that he had met Ranjit Singh's family and the State Government must provide legal help to them “who are suffering as several false cases have been registered against Ranjit Singh”.
AAP MLA from Bhadaur Pirmal Singh also raised the issue of a Sikh youth from his constituency, Jaggi Baba. “This man was badly beaten by the Haryana Police and the people of a political party at the Singhu border. Despite this, he is in high spirits,” said AAP MLA while urging the Government to help Jaggi Baba who belongs to a very poor family.
Joining the issue, AAP MLA from Kharar Kanwar Sandhu pointed that the Court has also confirmed the atrocities committed by Haryana Police against Nodeep and Shiv Kumar. “Punjab government or the Legislative Assembly should do something in this matter,” he demanded.
Even as the discussion on the entire issue was held during the Zero Hour, the decision to set up the house panel came only after the Chief Minister took backed the decision. After concluding his response to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s address, Capt Amarinder said: “I agree with this. A House committee is necessary to look into this.”