PunjabNewsline.com - Citizens committee indicts politicians, cops for Ludhiana violence
Citizens committee indicts politicians, cops for Ludhiana violence
Punjab Newsline Network
Thursday, 17 December 2009
LUDHIANA: A fact-finding committee has indicted the police and the
district authorities for arson and other acts of violence that occur
in punjab in the first week of December. Political leaders had added
fuel to the fire to draw political mileage, the committee observed.
A fact-finding committee, comprising prominent residents, social
activists and trade union members, has demanded a judicial probe into
the series of incidents leading to violence, imposition of curfew,
loss to property and a sense of insecurity among migrants and other
sections of society.
The committee, led by Jagmohan Singh, general secretary, Association
for Democratic Rights, released its report at a press conference here
on Wednesday.
Jagmohan Singh said a demand had been made for an adequate
compensation package, immediate release of migrant workers and
members of their families who had been arrested, strict action
against anti-social elements, steps for improvement in the law and
order situation and an effective mechanism for registration and
speedy redressal of migrants' grievances.
The report maintained that at most places where miscreants and
anti-social elements had indulged in arson and robbing of migrants'
families, the police was not only a mute spectator, but at times, the abettor.
The migrants' outburst was mainly due to the insensitive attitude of
the police and the situation was allowed to go out of hand by
low-rung and middle-level police officials to settle scores with
migrants, he pointed out.
Regarding the clashes between radical Sikh and Hindu groups on the
issue of a religious congregation by Ashutosh Maharaj, the committee
pointed out that the administration was guided by political considerations.
Other members of the committee were Dr Arun Mitra, general secretary,
Indian Doctors for Peace and Development, AK Maleri, Dr HS Grewal, DP
Maur, general secretary, Joint Council of Trade Unions, Ramesh Rattan
and Gurbant Singh, chairman and general secretary, respectively,
Small Scale Industries and Traders Association, Naval Chhiber and
Narjit Kaur, convener, Working Women Forum.
Citizens committee indicts politicians, cops for Ludhiana violence
Punjab Newsline Network
Thursday, 17 December 2009
LUDHIANA: A fact-finding committee has indicted the police and the
district authorities for arson and other acts of violence that occur
in punjab in the first week of December. Political leaders had added
fuel to the fire to draw political mileage, the committee observed.
A fact-finding committee, comprising prominent residents, social
activists and trade union members, has demanded a judicial probe into
the series of incidents leading to violence, imposition of curfew,
loss to property and a sense of insecurity among migrants and other
sections of society.
The committee, led by Jagmohan Singh, general secretary, Association
for Democratic Rights, released its report at a press conference here
on Wednesday.
Jagmohan Singh said a demand had been made for an adequate
compensation package, immediate release of migrant workers and
members of their families who had been arrested, strict action
against anti-social elements, steps for improvement in the law and
order situation and an effective mechanism for registration and
speedy redressal of migrants' grievances.
The report maintained that at most places where miscreants and
anti-social elements had indulged in arson and robbing of migrants'
families, the police was not only a mute spectator, but at times, the abettor.
The migrants' outburst was mainly due to the insensitive attitude of
the police and the situation was allowed to go out of hand by
low-rung and middle-level police officials to settle scores with
migrants, he pointed out.
Regarding the clashes between radical Sikh and Hindu groups on the
issue of a religious congregation by Ashutosh Maharaj, the committee
pointed out that the administration was guided by political considerations.
Other members of the committee were Dr Arun Mitra, general secretary,
Indian Doctors for Peace and Development, AK Maleri, Dr HS Grewal, DP
Maur, general secretary, Joint Council of Trade Unions, Ramesh Rattan
and Gurbant Singh, chairman and general secretary, respectively,
Small Scale Industries and Traders Association, Naval Chhiber and
Narjit Kaur, convener, Working Women Forum.
