Human RightsDay

Dal Khalsa writes to US watchdog

Jalandhar, December 10
Marking the 63rd World Human Rights Day, the Dal Khalsa has invited the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) to probe the “continuing abuse of human rights in Punjab”.

In a six-page missive addressed to the international watchdog’s office in New York, the Dal Khalsa has listed several instances of custodial deaths and violations of rights of political dissenters and common citizens over the past one year.

It also highlighted several incidents of denial of civil liberties to common citizens. These included incidents of high-handedness by the authorities on protesting pharmacists, ETT teachers, unemployed linemen, female multi-purpose health workers, unemployed B.Ed. teachers, veterinary inspectors, farmers and employees of a sugar mill, besides Sikh radicals.

“Such incidents widely reported in the media have failed to elicit any reaction from the law-makers in the state or the Union government,” states the letter.

“We are particularly concerned about the prospects of retired Punjab police officers having checkered past jumping into the political fray, reads the letter.