हिंदी
(Says the posters were a mere appeal by a sister Biba Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana urging Punjabis to help her in the cause of getting the ‘Bandi Veer’ freed)
Chandigarh, June 11 :– The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today requested the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to review decision refusing approval to the poster submitted by the party for distribution on hoardings and billboards for the Sangrur parliamentary bypoll.
Addressing Media persons here, senior party leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said it was unfortunate that the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee of the Commission had rejected the posters submitted by the SAD on the grounds that they would cause agony and unnecessary unrest in public.
Showing the posters to media persons here, Dr Cheema said they were an appeal for the release of all “Bandi Veer” from their sister Biba Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana who is the sister of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana. “A sister has asked for help from Punjabis for the cause of release of the detenues, including her brother Bhai Rajoana. This is her right. It is also covered under the right to freedom of speech and expression”.
Asserting that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab had erred in refusing permission for the posters, Dr Cheema said there was no question of any disturbance to the peace of the State due to the release of these posters. “Such posters have been used earlier also during the election of Akali leaders Simranjit Singh Mann and Atinderpal Singh in 1989”.
Asserting that the issue of release of the Bandi Singhs was also a human rights issue, the SAD leader said Bhai Rajoana had been incarcerated in jail without parole for 28 years. “Other detenues have also served terms much more than those awarded in case of life sentences”. He also pointed out that the SGPC had filed a clemency petition for Bhai Rajoana before the President in 2012 but no decision had been taken on the same till now by the union government despite the fact that even the Supreme Court had asked the government to act in the matter.
Dr Cheema said the SAD was a votary of human rights and would continue to create awareness about the rights of the Bandi Singhs. He said earlier also then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had taken note of impediments and refused to clear the hanging of Bhai Rajoana in 2012. He said the SAD had a long history of protecting civil rights as was witnessed by its resistance to the emergency promulgated by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
He also announced that the SAD would move an application for review of the orders of the chief electoral officer.
