Fatehgarh Sahib: Punjab Chief Minister
Parkash Singh Badal on Friday announced remission of jail terms
ranging between one month to one year to different categories
of prisoners across the state.
The announcement was made by the Chief Minister at a
function here to mark the tercentenary celebrations of
`Sirhind-Fateh Diwas` which was also attended by BJP President
Nitin Gadkari and the ruling SAD-BJP alliance in the state.
Badal announced remission of one year sentence to
prisoners awarded 10 to 20-year imprisonment, of nine months
to those serving 7 to 10-year jail term, of six months to
those imprisoned for 5 to 7 years, of 3 months to people
sentenced to a jail term of 3 to 5 years and of one month to
jail inmates with less than three year term.
However, Badal did not specify the number of prisoners to
benefit from the measure.
Accusing the Congress of trying to vitiate peace in the
state, he said the party is bent upon creating "communal
tension through its agents".
Reacting to a section of the audience raising
anti-government and anti-panthic slogans at the
function, Badal said they should not have used the religious
occasion to promote their political interests.
Paying glowing tributes to Baba Banda Singh Bahadur who
avenged the martyrdom of younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind
Singh and sacked the Mughal provincial capital, Sirhind, Badal
said that Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, a great warrior was still
revered as one of the most sacred martyrs of the Khalsa Panth.
He called upon the people to follow the teachings of Baba
Banda Singh Bahadur, describing him as a true disciple of Sri
Guru Gobind Singh who helped establish a Sikh kingdom which
finally paved the way for the national independence movement.
Speaking on the occasion, BJP President Nitin Gadkari
described Baba Banda Singh Bahadur as a great saint-solider
who demonstrated the real spirit of secularism.
The BJP leader exhorted people to imbibe the basic
philosophy of the saint-soldier who led a crusade against the
tyrannical forces of Mughal Empire to lay the foundation of
Khalsa raj.
SGPC President Avtar Singh announced that the 300th
anniversary of the Martyrdom of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and
his brave soldiers would be commemorated in 2016.
The Chief Minister released commemorative coins on
`Sirhind Fateh Diwas` and a souvenir issued by SGPC. Besides
he also released a postal envelop issued by the Punjab circle
of the Post & Telegraph Department, dedicated to the Sirhind
victory day.
PTI
