Days after the Ambala lathicharge triggered anger and backlash among sections of the Sikh community, the Haryana government has moved to defuse the situation, with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini holding a meeting with a delegation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and representatives of various Sikh and farm organisations.
The Sikh side has indicated that once the government fulfils its assurances, a prayer will be organised at Gurdwara Panjokhra Sahib in Ambala, after which the community would honour Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
The delegation was led by committee president Jagdish Singh Jhinda. The Sikh side has indicated that once the government fulfils its assurances, a prayer will be organised at Gurdwara Panjokhra Sahib in Ambala, after which the community would honour Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. The understanding includes action on the cases registered against people following the August 7 incident. Jhinda said those who were arrested and jailed in connection with the protest would be released before August 23.
Public Relations and Languages, the meeting focused on the issues concerning Panjokhra Sahib and was described by Jhinda as “positively successful”, according to the Haryana government’s Department of Information. After the meeting, Jhinda said the government had agreed to all the demands raised by the Sikh representatives and assured them of all possible assistance. He further said the FIRs registered against the protesters would be cancelled and the police would initiate the process of filing cancellation reports in these cases. Jhinda also said that Sikh leader Gursimran Singh Mand has agreed to send a letter of apology as part of the understanding reached with the government.
