Dal Khalsa rues SGPC silence on ' 84 memorial

FATEHGARH SAHIB: Dal Khalsa Tuesday expressed its deep concern over the deafening silence of the SGPC on the issue of erecting a memorial for those who died during the army attack on Darbar Sahib in June 1984. 



In a letter fax to the president of the SGPC, party general secretary Kanwar Pal Singh and H S Dhami reminded the SGPC of its resolution passed in an executive meet on 20 February 2002 pertaining to the raising of a memorial in memory of those who embraced martyrdom while upholding the sanctity of the Sikh shrines.
 
Leaders of the radical group rued that more than 6 years have passed but nothing has been done in this regard. They said it was ironic that the SGPC has a 'rich history' of passing resolutions but a 'poor record' of implementing it.
 
The approach of successive presidents of the SGPC on this matter is highly regrettable. Under pressure or not, they deliberately choose to brush the issue under the carpet, said they.
 
Urging the present incumbent Jathedar Avtar Singh to break the silence and take the lead, they said it was high time to lay the foundation stone of the memorial as the Sikh Nation is preparing itself to observe the 24th anniversary of Darbar Sahib next week.
 
Justifying their demand they said by raising the memorial of martyrs of the faith, the SGPC would not only deliver a sense of pride and fraternity to their families but also goads the Sikhs to relive those times. Also it will be a rebuttal to those, who have been trying to erase this period from public memory.  Dal Khalsa hailed the decision of the SGPC to extend financial compensation to the families of Sikh officers and jawans killed during the Nov '84 Delhi pogrom.