Sikhs opposed to statues of Indira, Rajiv in Punjab: Akali Dal

Sikhs in Punjab were opposed to the statues of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi any where in the state, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) stalwart Bikram Singh Majithia said on Wednesday.

The statement comes in the wake of two youth Akali Dal leaders-- Gurdip Singh Gosha and Meetpal Singh Dugri-- being arrested for allegedly vandalising the statue of Rajiv Gandhi here.

While Gosha was arrested on Tuesday, Dugri surrendered before a court here on Wednesday. Both the accused were sent to police remand for a day.

The former Punjab Minister led a protest rally of Akali workers here against the arrest of the youth leaders and demanded the revocation of Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna.

"Sikhs will not tolerate statues of Indira and Rajiv in Punjab," he said, adding the Congress leaders had inflicted atrocities on Sikhs by attacking the Golden Temple (Operation Blue Star) and abetting the genocide of the community in 1984.

All the welfare schemes and government projects named after the two leaders should be rechristened and named after martyrs including the sons of Guru Govind Singh.

Earlier in the day, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation pulled down an allegedly illegal building owned by Gosha near the Akal Market. The SAD, however, called it political vendetta.