Punjab govt failed to protect honour of revenue official G.S.Benipal: Khaira

CHANDIGARH: Sukhpal Singh Khaira Congress MLA from Bholath Tuesday said that It was  matter of great shame for Sikhs and Punjabi’s at large that a class I officer Maj. Retd. G.S. Benipal Tehsildar has chosen to attend office sans his turban.



In a statement here, Khaira said that  SAD and its leadership which have been championing the cause of Sikhs and claim to be the sole representatives of the Sikhs across the world, should hang their heads in shame, to  Benipal’s refusal to wear his turban till his self respect is restored. This step is not only a slap on the face of the Panthic’ Govt. but should serve as an eye opener to the SGPC and the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib.    

He said tht Congress party feels it is meaningless to shed crocodile tears as is normally done by the SAD and SGPC leadership on issues like the French Govt. ban on the turban or the U.S. Army not allowing Sikhs to wear their headgear, while an Ex-army class I officer cannot save his turban in Punjab. The congress party had vociferously   raised the issue of assault on Benipal in the just concluded budget session of the assembly which the state Govt. preferred to  willfully ignore.

He added that Congress again reinforces its allegations of political mafia operating in Punjab with blessings of the Chief Minister’s family. In order to save this mafia and push the scandalous sale of fake stamp paper in Punjab under the wraps, Mr. Benipal was targeted and assaulted. Earlier we the congress had raised issue of complete take over of cable network, transport and sand trade in Punjab at the behest of the CM’s family to which the state govt. has no satisfactory answer and refuses to order a probe. Our allegations of all trades being cornered by the political mafia stand vindicated by the resolutions passed by executive committee of the BJP. 

Therefore, now that the state govt. has utterly failed to live up to the aspirations of a self respecting Sikh like Maj. Retd. Benipal, I call upon the Jathedar Sahib of Sri Akal Takhat Giani Gurbachan Singh to take suo moto cognizance  of  Benipal’s insult and his refusal to wear his turban and punish the guilty. In case the Jathedar Sahib fails to react to this issue of pride of a turban, it would be presumed that the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs cannot act independently and is subservient to Badal.