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Governor takes on Mamata govt over Sikh man’s turban row, calls it ‘blatant rights violation’

Balwinder Singh was dragged away from a BJP rally in Kolkata when his turban came off. Police claim that he was carrying a weapon and have booked him under the Arms Act.

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Kolkata: The controversy over a Sikh man’s turban falling off, during the BJP’s march in Kolkata on 8 October continues to rage on, with Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar now wading into the row.

Dhankhar, who continually takes on the the Mamata Banerjee government in the state, Tuesday tweeted that the administration should “engage in rectification rather than justification” of the incident. He added that the Sikh man, Balwinder Singh, “had become the poster boy for blatant human right violations” in West Bengal.

Already Balvindra poster boy for blatant Human Right violations in WB

Must appreciate Extensive Outrage at the ill treatment #BalvindraSingh pic.twitter.com/rnhUMQvR0d

— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) October 13, 2020

This after the governor had met a delegation led by Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and the national spokesman of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over the issue Sunday.

The row stems from the Howrah Police’s arrest of private security personnel Balwinder Singh for allegedly possessing an “illegal firearm” and carrying it to the political rally Thursday. Singh was dragged away from march from near Howrah Maidan.

But a video of his turban falling and police assaulting him went viral on social media, triggering outrage in the Sikh community. It drew condemnation from Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to cricketer Harbhajan Singh.

Following the furore, the West Bengal Police and the state’s home department issued a statement saying that Balwinder’s turban had fallen off during the law and order problem, and that no one had taken it off. The home department, in its statement, also added that a particular political party was trying to foment trouble over the issue.

“Sikh brothers and sisters live in West Bengal in perfect peace and harmony” and a one-off incident is being ‘twisted out of context’ by a political party to give political colour, it said.

The Print spoke to government officials and senior police officers who maintain that Balwinder Singh was arrested for “carrying an illegal firearm to a political rally”. He has been charged under the Arms act.

The National Commission for Minorities has, meanwhile, sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee government. The BJP’s Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga had registered a complaint with the commission.

Was carrying a weapon: Police

Police insist that Singh, who is one of the personal bodyguards of a senior BJP leader, was illegally carrying a 9mm pistol.

The FIR against Singh, a copy of which was accessed by ThePrint, names eight people. Around 13 sections, including attempt to murder, the Arms Act and sections of National Disaster Management Act have been added. Singh is still in police custody.

The BJP and Sirsa claimed that the pistol is licensed but the police claim the pistol has license to use only in Rajouri district in Delhi where it was issued.

Speaking to The Print, a senior police official said, “He was arrested for three offences. His pistol was issued for self defence and not for guarding a third party. It has license until 3 January, 2021 but the license is not valid outside Rajouri district where it was issued. Finally, he cannot carry a weapon to a political rally. That is an offence under the IPC.”

On BJP’s and Akali Dal’s claim about the gun having a national license, the official said, “We checked it with the MHA system. It is not valid outside the district mentioned.” He further added that the attempt to murder charge was not slapped against Balwinder.

The BJP, however, isn’t buying it.

“This is an outrageous act by the Mamata Banerjee government. Her government should have accepted its fault and apologised . Instead, they slapped charges against the person and took him into police custody,” said the BJP’s Bengal incharge Kailash Vijayvargiya. 

“His gun is also licensed and not illegal. Had he worn a skull cap and not a turban, Mamataji would have apologised with folded hands. They would have brought the government to its knees. But Sikhs are a minority and not her votebank.” 


Also read: BJP leader, who taught at Santiniketan and said he’d hug Mamata if he got Covid, tests positive


 

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