The Hindu : New Delhi News : BJP protests imposition of ‘jaziya’ on Sikhs in Pakistan

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Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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BJP protests imposition of ‘jaziya’ on Sikhs in Pakistan

Special Correspondent

. - Photo: R. V. Moorthy

For protection of Sikhs: Delhi BJP president O. P. Kohli and leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly V. K. Malhotra along with a Sikh delegation outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on Monday soon after handing over a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan

NEW DELHI: A delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party led by its Delhi unit president O. P. Kohli and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly V. K. Malhotra on Monday submitted a memorandum to Pakistan’s High Commissioner in India expressing grave concern at “atrocities” being committed by the Taliban on Sikh and other minority communities in the North Western Frontier Province and other tribal areas of Pakistan.

The delegation, which also included some Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leaders, also demanded that the Pakistan Government take immediate steps to stop these atrocities on Sikhs in particular in that country.

Prof. Kohli said incidents of forced recovery of “jaziya” from Sikhs in Pakistan had been reported recently. “While recovery of Jaziya may be part of history, it is difficult to comprehend it in present times,” he added.

The BJP leader said the houses and shops of Sikhs had been captured in Pakistan forcing hundreds to take shelter in the gurdwaras of Hasan and Rawalpindi.

Also, he lamented that more than 150 Sikhs and Hindus had been forced to flee from Guner, Swat and Kazai areas due to the atrocities by the Taliban.Prof. Malhotra also demanded that the Pakistan Government not surrender to the Taliban and protect the Sikhs, Hindus and other minorities.

U.N. intervention

He added with concern that as per international media, Pakistan had already surrendered before the Taliban. Prof. Malhotra also demanded that the Indian Government attract the attention of the United Nations to the incidents of atrocities in Pakistan to compel the Government there to take effective steps for the protection of minorities.

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