By IANS,
Chandigarh : Radical Sikh groups of Punjab Monday presented a turban to state revenue official G.S. Benipal, who had stopped wearing one after being assaulted and stripped by youth Akali Dal activists and councillors in June.
Representatives of various Sikh bodies like Damdami Taksal, Dal Khalsa and Akal Federation went to Benipal’s home in Kharar town in Punjab, around 10 km from here, Monday, to express support for him.
“It is quite shameful that main accused of the attack are still moving freely. The miscreants had insulted the whole Sikh community and degraded the sanctity of turban by taking away Benipal’s turban with them,” Bhai Mohkam Singh of Damdami Taksal told reporters here.
“He is hurt both physically and emotionally… that is why he has refused to wear a turban till he gets his old one back. We want the Akali Dal government, SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) and Akal Takht to intervene in this matter and to make sure that Benipal gets justice,” he added.
Singh claimed Benipal was in depression as the government was mounting pressure on him to close the case.
Benipal, a former army official, was known for his integrity and he had exposed many corrupt deals in the revenue department where he works as a tehsildar. He was allegedly assaulted and stripped by the Akali activists in Ludhiana, some 100 km from here, since he refused to act on the diktats of various party leaders.
Condemning the incident, Congress legislature Sukhpal Singh Khaira said: “It’s a matter of great shame for Punjabis all over the world that a senior Sikh officer has chosen to attend office sans his turban. Benipal was targeted by unscrupulous elements and his decision of not wearing a turban is a strong slap on the face of Akali government.
“It is meaningless to take up the issues of French government banning turbans or the US Army not allowing Sikhs to wear their headgear, when we cannot save the turban in our own state,” he added.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had condemned the assault on Benipal, saying that the government would not tolerate such acts. However, no action was taken against the accused.