Sant Samaj appeal PM Modi to raise issues of Sikhs abroad

SRI ANANDPUR SAHIB: The Sant Samaj, a conglomeration of various organisations, including radicals, today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up issues of Sikhs whenever he goes abroad.

Speaking at a religious function on the occasion of 350th year of foundation of Anandpur Sahib here, Sant Samaj head Harnam Singh Dhooma said "PM should include Sikh problems in his programme when he goes abroad."

"I wish to tell this to central government, including Rajnath Singh (Union Minister) today we are being shown as communal. Portrayed as terrorists. No religion is more secular than Sikhism," he said.

There is a need to see this issue very seriously, he said. "When the PM goes abroad and meets people from all over. Sikhs there also have serious issues. PM should include Sikh problems in his programme when he goes abroad," he said.

Referring to the 1984 Operation Bluestar and people jailed in Jodhpur jail, he said that "we want to request that all those convicts who are in jails for many years should be released."

Referring to shifting of life convict Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar from Tihar Jail in Delhi to Amritsar recently, he said that "I thank Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that on humanitarian grounds he has taken initiative for release of Sikh convicts".

It is to his (Badal's) credit that he is making all efforts for 'quam de heere' (diamonds of community), he said.

The Centre should also cooperate and release the prisoners.