Chandigarh (KP) - Several Panthic, political, and human rights organizations met with Gen. S.F. Rodriguez, retired Punjab Governor, and made him aware of the large number of illegal arrests which have been made by the Punjab Police after the arrest of Jagtar Singh Hawara.
D.S. Gill, chairperson of International Human Rights Organization (IHRO) said that the police have so far picked up over 800 persons illegally. He stated that these arrests will disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab. He stated that many senior officers have been involved in the misuse of power, for which they should be prosecuted. "Many persons had been picked up by the police, as they were close or distant relatives of the Babbar Khalsa activists. Major Singh, son of Makhan Singh, from Jalliya villege in Amritsar was picked up only because he was relative of Wadhawa Singh of Babbar Khalsa," he said.
While addressing these illegal arrests, Prem Singh Chandumajra, president Shiromani Akali Dal (L), stated that the illogical detention of Simranjit Singh Mann was wrong on the part of the Punjab Government. He stated that these illegal arrests of the Punjab Government are being made to diverge public attention from real issues which need attention.
Justice Ajit Singh Bains, chairman of Punjab Human Rights Organization, said that the IHRO wants all the pending legal and political cases to be heard within strict purview of the rule and law of international norms. He added that all the political activists must be released and friends and relatives of those detained for alleged anti-state activities must be practiced in courts by due process of law.
