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Set up truth
commission, Dal Khalsa presses Punjab government
WSN Network
Jalandhar: In a
move aimed clearly to nail 'Cats' and their handlers, the Dal Khalsa
asked the Punjab government to set up a 'truth commission' to
unearth the policy of persecution carried out by Punjab police by
raising extra-constitutional force popularly known as 'cats' in the
name of fighting militancy in the state.
Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar, the leaders of the
organization H S Dhami and Kanwar Pal Singh urged the Punjab
government not to spare likes of ex-DGP S S Virk, who under the garb
of fulfilling national security purpose had thrown all laws to wind.
Taking a dig at Parkash Singh Badal for dragging his feet on the
issue they said the Virk episode was turning up a damp squib. If he
was to be given VVIP treatment even during detention what was the
fun to arrest him, they questioned the chief minister. "People are
waiting for justice and they are least interested in such political
tamashas".
It was unusual that the judge had to go to the PGI to extend the
date of his judicial custody, they ruined. What signal does it
convey? How many instances do we count when judges went to the place
where the under trail (accused) was staying merely to extend his
judicial custody? Why the people were being fooled? We feel that the
establishment has come forward once again to protect their
"instruments" at all cost and Badal has resigned to the situation.
"Let Virk to pass one night in prison cell so that he should realize
the sufferings of all those who were framed in cases for reasons
other than legal", said they.
The party leaders viewed that the Punjab was a state ruled by law of
'rulers' and not by rule of law. The ex-DGP Virk was coined as
blue-eyed boy of Captain Amrinder Singh in the similar way as IGP
Sumedh Saini is considered of Badal family. The difference between
the styles of functioning of both was the same as that of Coca Cola
and Pepsi Cola. Both had a past record of misusing their powers and
patronizing "cats" for deliverance. Both had exhibited all signs of
a partisan and cruel officer. Questioning the present justice
system, they said these officers were never made accountable for
their illegal acts. Their extra-judicial methods were never brought
under judicial scrutiny.
Defining cats as extra-constitutional force raised by a select group
of IPS officers to eliminate militants by operating outside the
ambit of law. Cats were more than the informers, they were armed
with a license to kill anyone and extort money to live a lavish
life, said Mr Dhami former president of the organization. Since they
had immunity from the law, most of them had engaged in crimes
ranging from land-grabbing to smuggling of narcotics.
Elaborating further, they said there were three kinds of people who
were made cats. First who were militants and after being captured
broke down during interrogation and agreed to cooperate with police.
Second, were anti-social elements who with a sole aim to carry on
with their criminal activities recruited themselves in the ranks of
cats. Third were those who joined the ranks of cats to seek revenge
of their family members who were killed by the bullets of militants.
Emphasizing on a need to monitor the functioning of both
intelligence and security agencies they said while a Parliamentary
Oversight Committee was needed to scrutinize the performance of
intelligence agencies, there was need to evolve a mechanism to
prevent the misuse of police for partisan political purposes.
The detention of Virk has once again brought into focus the question
of rule of law vis-à-vis working of the Punjab police. We are
convinced that the Punjab police under K.P.S. Gill and S. S. Virk
have transgressed the bar or decorum, dignity and rule of law.
Dal Khalsa strongly made an appeal to all citizenry of the state to
wake up to the call of justice, human rights and harmony. The
organization launched a quarterly newsletter 'Freedom Post' that
would view aspects of life in Panjab from a Sikh perspective.
3 October, 2007
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