The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday passed a resolution appealing to the US government to take a humanitarian view of truck driver Harjinder Singh’s case and appealed to the Union government to extend consular and legal assistance to the Sikh youth.
The resolution was passed during a meeting of the leadership from six districts of the state under the chairmanship of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The meeting also decided to conduct a historic political conference at Moga on August 31 which has been designated as a Fateh rally to lay out the party programme to take on centrist parties which have ruined Punjab.
Speaking about the resolution on Harjinder Singh, Sukhbir the Sikh youth deserved a fair trial. “Punjabis were deeply hurt to learn that Harjinder was produced in court without a turban which was an inseparable and sacred article of faith for every Sikh,” he said, urging the ministry of external affairs to ensure that all avenues of legal defence were made available to Harjinder through the Indian embassy and consulate.
Allow Harjinder to wear turban: United Sikhs
Meanwhile, United Sikhs, a US based non-profit advocacy group, on Monday expressed condolences to the families of the people who lost their lives in a road accident in Florida, USA.
Following the road accident in Florida on August 12, besides Harjinder Singh, the truck driver, who hails from Tarn Taran, his brother Harneet was also arrested for living without a legal status in the US.
This accident has led to sharp reaction in the US and the government has paused issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers ‘effective immediately’.
United Sikhs condemned the incident where a Sikh youth was shown in custody without his turban. “The turban is a crown bestowed by the Guru and is a symbol of identity and pride for every Sikh,” said a spokesperson of the advocacy group demanding that strict laws be enforced against such disrespectful conduct.