Shiv Kumar Sharma
Harjeet Singh Virk, head of Haryana unit of Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar (Mann Group) in Karnal today while talking to reporters said that the Haryana government and Haryana Service Selection Commission (HSSC) officials have made an insensitive decision about Sikh students appearing for recruitment examinations regarding their religious symbols.
He said that the government has decided that the Sikh students who have to appear for the Haryana Civil Service exam should reach the examination venue 2 hours earlier than the scheduled time as the religious symbols of the Sikhs are to be scanned. He said that this move has triggered an outrage among Sikhs as this is against the religious freedom of Sikhs and Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.
He said that the party had given a memorandum to Karnal Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav today and demanded that this decision be withdrawn and religious freedom of Sikhs be restored.
He said that on the one hand, the Haryana government is taking away the religious freedom of the Sikhs of Haryana, on the other hand, the leaders and workers of Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar (Mann Group) are being harassed without any reason by the Special Task Force of Sonepat Police formed by the Haryana Government.
He said that Khazan Singh, the head of Kaithal district of our party, who often helps the victims without any discrimination. Despite this, Havildar Rajveer of Sonipat's Special Task Force raided Khazan Singh's house on September 8 with the entire force, triggering panic despite Khazan Singh not having done anything illegal. Virk said raids had also been carried out at other party workers’ houses including his own.
He said that government could cow down the SAD (Amritsar) cadre with illegal raids and warned of starting an agitation against this high-handedness of the administration.
Besides Harjeet Singh Virk, others present on the occasion were Gurbhej Singh, Harpreet Singh, Jarnail Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Lovejit Singh, Sinder Singh, Jasdeep Singh, Gurupratap Singh, Daler Singh, Malik Singh, Kulwinder Singh and Gurmeet Singh.