The Hindu : Other States / Punjab News : Akali Dal seeks ban on `Jo Bole So Nihal'

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Wednesday, May 18, 2005

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Akali Dal seeks ban on `Jo Bole So Nihal'

Haryana CM Hooda's move to form separate Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee flayed

CHANDIGARH: In yet another set back to the sub-committee constituted by the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday sought immediate ban on controversial film `Jo Bole So Nihal'. "The producer of the film has misused the holy Sikh community slogan (Bole So Nihal)," SAD chief and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal told a press conference after chairing party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting here.

He said that Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had constituted a 15-member panel of Sikh intellectuals which would submit its report on the film on May 19.

It is pertinent to mention here that a sub-committee of the Akal Takht had given "clean chit" to the Hindi film starring Sunny Deol.

Recently bowing to the pressure of the outrage of several Sikh organisations and political outfits, the Akal Takht had written to the SGPC to form a panel to look into the contents of the film. Taking a strong exception to the recent remarks of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda that his government was actively considering the demand of Haryana Sikhs for the formation of separate Haryana Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee as promised in the Congress manifesto, Mr. Badal said that it amounted to direct interference by the Haryana Government in the religious affairs of Sikhs.

"It is a serious issue. A delegation of Akali Dal will soon meet the Prime Minister to apprise him about the situation likely to arise by the decision of the Haryana Government," Mr. Badal said.

Hailing the contributions of Lt.-Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, who led the Indian forces to victory over Pakistan in the war for liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, the veteran Akali leader sought Bharat Ratan for the late general for his services.

He also welcomed the recent directive of the Supreme Court staying the order of the Rajasthan High Court directing it to hand over the maintenance of three head works of the Bhakra and Beas projects to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

Taking a dig at Punjab Minister Choudhary Jagjit Singh for reportedly being caught recently without ticket in a train, Mr. Badal demanded resignation from the minister on moral grounds.

On the boycott of parliament proceedings by the NDA, party MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was also present on the occasion, said that the opposition members were not allowed by the ruling UPA to raise their voices in the parliament.

Both Mr. Badal and Mr. Dhindsa also rejected suggestions that the SAD had lost its identity and blindly following BJP's agenda.

Earlier, during the meeting several senior party functionaries of the Akali Dal (Longowal) joined the SAD. — PTI

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