The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), on Saturday, urged the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to review its refusal to approve the poster submitted by the party for distribution as hoardings and billboards for the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll.
Addressing a Press conference here, senior party leader Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said it was unfortunate that the media certification and monitoring committee of the Commission had rejected the posters submitted by the SAD on the grounds that they would cause agony and unnecessary unrest in public. Showing the posters to media persons, Dr. Cheema said they were an appeal for the release of all “Bandi Veer” (Sikh prisoners) from their sister Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana who is the sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana.
“A sister has asked for help from Punjabis for the cause of the release of the detenues, including her brother Rajoana. This is her right. It is also covered under the right to freedom of speech and expression,” he said.
The SAD leader said the CEO, Punjab had erred in refusing permission for the posters. There was no question of these posters causing any disturbance in the state.
“Such posters have been used earlier also during the election of Akali leaders Simranjit Singh Mann and Atinderpal Singh in 1989,” he added.
The issue of release of the Sikh prisoner was also a human rights issue, the SAD leader said adding that Rajoana had been incarcerated in jail without parole for 28 years.
He also pointed out that the SGPC had filed a clemency petition for Rajoana before the President in 2012, but no decision had been taken on the same till now by the Union government despite the fact that even the Supreme Court had asked the government to act in the matter.
Dr Cheema said the SAD was a votary of human rights and would continue to create awareness about the rights of the Bandi Singhs. Earlier, then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had taken note of impediments and refused to clear the hanging of Rajoana in 2012. He said the SAD had a long history of protecting civil rights as was witnessed by its resistance to the emergency promulgated by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He also announced that the SAD would move an application for review of the orders of the chief electoral officer.