Sikh radicals smudge Hindi, English signboards on Bathinda-Faridkot road
PROTESTERS BOOKED UNDER PREVENTION OF DAMAGE TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ACT
BAT HINDA: Seeking that Punjabi be the language on top of sign boards, activists of Dal Khalsa, SAD (Amritsar), BKU (Krantikari) and Malwa Youth Federation and other organisations onSaturday smudged signboards written in Hindi and English leaving names of places only in Punjabi along the Bathinda – Faridkot road on Saturday. The protesters smudged signboards on about 25 km stretch of national highway-15.
For the past month or so, activists of these organisations had launched a campaign demanding names of places on signboards to be written with Punjabi on top as names in Punjabi are written at bottom on signboards along this road. The protesters had re sorted to similar action earlier also. A delegation had also met Bat hinda deputy commissioner Diprava Lakra earlier this month. Activists claimed that as nothing happened, they decided to again smudge the boards.
Police tried to stop the protesters who also blocked the road as a mark of protest. They stopped only after assurance from administration.
Dal Khalsa senior vice-president Hardeep Singh said, “We respect all languages. However, inPunjab Punjabi must be given priority. If authorities do not act on our demand, we will launch a statewide agitation.”
Meanwhile, a case for prevention of damage to public and private act has been registered against leader of Malwa Youth Federation Lakhb ir SinghLak ha Sidhana, Hardeep Singh and some unidentified people in this connection at Ne hi anw ala police station.