Dalit outfits for strict action against culprits; Randhawa demands probe

NEW DELHI CHANDIGARH: Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Vijay Sampla on Friday said a day after a Tarn Taran man was lynched at the Singhu border, various Scheduled Caste organisations submitted complaints to the commission seeking justice.

In a statement, Sampla said while handing over the complaints to the NCSC at the commission’s head office in New Delhi, the representatives and office-bearers of various SC organisations condemned the heinous crime. “Lakhbir Singh was murdered with brutality and the victim’s family should be brought to justice as soon as possible,” the NGOS demanded.

“The SKM and other farmer leaders, who are sitting on the Singhu border, must be held responsible of this brutal incident as the man was killed despite their high-level security. Not only this, the farmers’ organisations took 12 hours to comment on the incident, showing that they were not concerned,” the SC bodies claimed.

The SC organisations, who met Sampla on Saturday include Bhartiya Baudh Sangh, Rashtriya Bhantu Sansi Samaj Vikas Sangh, Shri Guru Ravidas Vishwa Mahapeeth (Delhi Province), Jai Baba Rama Peer Janmotsav

Committee, National Scheduled Caste Alliance, Delhi Prantiya Raigar Panchayat, Valmiki Mahapanchayat, Shri Sant Kabir Janmotsav Committee, Akhil Bhartiya Bairwa Vikas Sangh, SC/ST/OBC & Minority Employees Welfare Association, Jangpura Bhogal SC/ST Resident Welfare Association and many more.

‘HC judge should look into killing’

Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Saturday demanded an inquiry from a sitting high court judge to find out the actual causes of lynching of a man at Singhu Border on Friday.

Randhawa said this is a sensitive issue which relates to the religious beliefs of the people and is also associated with the farmers who had been peacefully protesting from almost a year against the draconian farm laws of Union government. “At this crucial juncture, it was important to identify anti-social elements inciting religious sentiments and defaming the farmers’ agitation.”

Being a home minister of the state, the deputy CM said the Haryana government as well as the police could not disassociate itself from this incident as the responsibility of maintaining law and order lies with the state government concerned.