HC hearing on encroachments around YPS Chowk: ‘Hiding behind Granth Sahib no reason for state to refrain from acting against those misusing religious sentiments’

The petitioner among other things had contended that the members of several Sikh bodies and others are supporting the demands of the morcha. The protesters have been seeking the release of Sikh prisoners, including Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh. They also want the release of Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, a 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict.

During the resumed hearing, the division bench of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji, said that despite repeated opportunities given, neither Punjab nor the Union Territory, Chandigarh, has been able to give any redressal to the problems faced by commuters of Chandigarh and Mohali.

“On account of handful persons sitting and blocking the road, inconvenience is being caused to the commuters and residents of the Tricity and the misery is continuing,” observed the bench.

The bench further noted that the Director General of Police, Punjab, had also been summoned in the matter almost one year back. “Only on account of the fact that some of the protestors have been hiding behind a shield of religious legitimacy by placing the Guru Granth Sahib would not as such give the State reason not to act against the persons who are misusing the religious sentiments”, observed the bench.

Meanwhile, from the photographs of the protest site placed on record, the bench said that there is no large gathering. In spite of the fact that it is well-known that all the agitators from the rural background are busy in harvesting and it is most opportune time to remove the blockage of the road, Punjab and Chandigarh are “dragging their feet for the reasons best known to them”.

Thus, hoping that Punjab and Chandigarh, will “wake up from their slumber” and keep in mind the observations of the apex court in state of Himachal Pradesh and another versus Umed Ram Sharma, and Amit Sahni versus Commissioner of Police and others, the HC deferred the proceedings for April 18.