Khalsa’s death: Assandh MLA’s ‘hollow claims’ embarrass govt
Vishal Joshi
Tribune News Service
Kurukshetra, March 26
Assandh MLA Bakhshish Singh Virk’s claim that the state government had accepted the demands of protesting Sikhs has embarrassed the dispensation, which was fighting hard to end the stalemate around the cremation of the Sikh activist Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa.
All, but one claim, have proved hollow.
After a series of meetings with Sikh hardliners, including Baljit Singh Daduwal, in the district’s Thaska Ali village on Friday, Virk had told the media that Kurukshetra SP Abhishek Garg and Pehowa DSP Dheeraj Kumar would be transferred.
He had also said the government had accepted the demand for booking then SHOs of the Jhansa and Ismailabad police stations on the charge of abetting Khalsa’s suicide. A murder case has been registered against unidentified persons.
Virk claimed to have held meetings with the Sikh hardliners on behalf of the government. He had also told the media the government had agreed to suspend the SHOs.
His only claim that has the government’s stamp is about ordering a magisterial inquiry into the circumstances leading to the death of Khalsa. Virk had handed over a copy of the order to Khalsa’s son after the cremation on Sunday.
Sources said Virk’s press briefing on Friday night had come as a shocker as there was no word from the state government or the police headquarters to initiate punitive proceedings against the cops.
“It is up to the political establishment to clarify whether or not Virk was empowered by Chief Minister Khattar to deliberate and accept the demands of protesters,” a senior official said.
Additional Director General of Police (Ambala range) RC Mishra, who was also present in meetings with the Sikh hardliners, told The Tribune on Monday the police department was not considering transferring the SP and the DSP.
“I will not make any comment on the press statements by the Assandh MLA. All I can say is the case is under investigation,” he said.
The SP said SHOs Dilip Singh and Dinesh Chauhan, against whom allegations were leveled verbally, had been shifted to Ambala and Yamunanagar, respectively.
“There is no plan to quash the murder case and convert it into an abetment-to-suicide case. Any legal action will be subject to investigation,” he added.
When Virk was asked whether or not he was representing the state government during the talks, he evaded a reply.
“I was negotiating as a community member to defuse the tension. ADGP Mishra and Kurukshetra DC SS Phulia were also present during the talks. It is appreciable that despite such a tense situation, Khalsa’s sympathisers did not get violent,” he added.
An official, meanwhile, said the Kurukshetra police had been asked to secure evidence on persons raising pro-Khalistan slogans during Khalsa’s funeral Sunday.
