Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday condemned the witch-hunt launched against Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa by registration of a false case against him solely because the latter was providing ‘langar sewa’ and other humanitarian aid to the Kisan Andolan at the Delhi border.
Asserting that Punjabis across the world were aghast at the strong arm tactics being used by the BJP led Central Government to intimidate all those who were supporting the kisan sangharsh, Sukhbir said that now, the Centre had struck out at the DSGMC because it was at the forefront in providing aid to the farm movement.
“DSGMC has been providing ‘langar’ to farmers from the very first day they arrived at the Singhu border on December 27 and continues to do so even today. This is the same body which has won universal praise during the period of COVID-19 for the service it rendered to humanity as well as during times of natural disasters. Now, the same body is being vilified,” he said, adding that DSGMC “will not be affected by such cowardly acts and will not step back from assisting peacefully agitating kisan brethren”.
Sukhbir said that it was strange that a case had been registered against Manjinder Sirsa and others with regard to a complaint which had been filed against the former DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK in 2018. “Even though Sirsa is not named in the original complaint, his name has been included now while that of GK has been excluded…This shows how the police and other investigating agencies are being misused by the BJP against its opponents. Earlier, this has also been done against farm leaders and even song writers, singers, and arhtiyas who espoused the Kisan Andolan,” he said.
Sukhbir also condemned the arrest of Sirsa at Bilaspur on Thursday night where he had gone to support farmers who had been booked by the local police for trying to stop them from joining the Tractor March at Delhi.