Akal Takht seeks release of arrested Sikhs

The Akal Takht today launched a scathing attack on the Punjab government over the arrest of some Sikhs who were allegedly preventing a Hindu outfit from burning the effigy of slain leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala here.
Describing Bhindranwala as a "martyr of Sikhs", Akal Takht head Gurbachan Singh said that he was a role model to the community.
The Akal Takht is the top temporal seat of the Sikhs.
Gurbachan claimed that some members of a Hindu outfit yesterday, under police patronage, publicly burnt the effigy of Bhindranwala.
Some of the Sikhs, who were preventing members of the outfit from burning the effigy, were arrested, he said.

He asked the Punjab government to intervene in the matter and get the arrested Sikhs released and take action against the police personnel who watched the burning of a "Sikh martyr's" effigy as mute spectators.

He demanded arrest of the members of the Hindu outfit.
Bhindranwala was a militant leader who led his self- styled force to fight against the Army when Operation BlueStar was launched in June 1984.
Issuing a warning to the state government, Gurbachan said that if the government failed to initiate action against the guilty, the community would deal with the situation themselves with iron hands.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann said his party would come out with a strong strategy if those arrested were not released.
He demanded immediate arrest of the members of the Hindu outfit for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Sikh community.