To unite Sikhs of Haryana, big community gathering called in Karnal on September 8

 According to Times of India “ The Sikhs of Haryana under the banner of Haryana Sikh Ekta Dal (HSED) have given a call to organise ‘Haryana Sikh Sammelan’ at Karnal on September 8, with a motive to unite the community at one platform in the state irrespective of factionalism, parties and caste. 

This was said by representatives of HSED at a press conference in Chandigarh on Tuesday, including Preetpal Singh Pannu, Jagdeep Singh Aulakh, Gurtej Singh Khalsa, Amarjit Singh Mohri, Amrit Singh Bugga, Sukhwinder Singh Jhabbar.Ahead of the state assembly elections, HSED has raised several demands before all the political parties that this body feels are concerning the Sikh community of the state.They claimed to get an overwhelming response to their call and said that they have so far held over 100 meetings at the village level. 
They said there is great enthusiasm in the Sikh community of Haryana for the convention. They said Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh, Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh and Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib Giani Sultan Singh are specially attending this convention and invitations have been sent to Jathedars of Takht Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib, Nanded and Takht Harmandar Ji Patna Sahib. 
HSED leaders said the Jathedars of all five Takhts have been invited so that they can get guidance from them for the unity of Sikh community in Haryana.HSED leaders said that the September 8 convention will make a strategy for fulfillment of the long pending Panthic and state related rights.“Like the Sikhs of the entire world, the Haryana Sikhs also want that strict law should be formed with non-bailable charges to stop sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. 
Those Sikh prisoners should be released from jail who have completed their sentences, to protect their human rights”, said the HSED leaders.The HSED leaders in an open call for all political parties raised some demands that Sikhs are in large numbers in 15 to 20 assembly seats in Haryana, from where Sikh candidates should be fielded in the upcoming elections and for reserved seats, suitable Sikh candidates be fielded from reserved communities. 
They said in the next Lok Sabha elections, two representatives of Sikh community should be given tickets besides a representation also in the Rajya Sabha.Election of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) should be held immediately and votes should be registered with door-to-door campaigns by appointing block level officers like other elections, HSED said.The HSED leaders also said that Punjabi has second language status in Haryana, but there are hardly any Punjabi teachers in government and private schools. 
“Punjabi teachers should be hired in government and private schools which do not have them. Recruitment of Punjabi teachers should be made mandatory in every government school and appointment of Punjabi teachers should be made mandatory in private schools where 10 or more students want to study Punjabi”, said HSED leaders.They said Punjabi Sahitya Akademi should function independently as in the past so that the work of development of Punjabi language can be done.
“An SIT should be formed in every district to take strict action against those spreading false propaganda about Sikh religion, Gurus, Sikh community and targeting Sikhs using hateful expressions on social media”, said HSED leaders.They also demanded clear instructions to competitive exam conducting agencies that Amritdhari (initiated) Sikh candidates should not be forced to remove their Kakaars (Sikh symbols of faith) and legal and departmental action should be taken against the guilty officials.
A demand has also been raised for constituting a minority commission in Haryana, besides representation to Sikhs in the National Commission for Minorities and National Commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.They also demanded grants for building Sikh Community Centers in all districts with Sikh population on the lines of grants given to other castes and communities.

Open letter by Haryana Sikh Ekta Dal

The Haryana Sikh Ekta Dal also issued an open letter to all the major political parties of the state in which they have been asked to clarify their stand regarding the demands and include them in their manifesto. 
If the political parties of the state do not pay attention to the raised demands, then the Sikhs of the state will be forced to follow the path of struggle, the letter said. The Haryana Sikh Ekta Dal believe that since the formation of Haryana in 1966, the Sikh community of Haryana has not got their rights. They were kept entangled in petty issues and all efforts were made to divide them due to the politics of votes. But now the Sikh society of the state is becoming aware and will not side with any party at the behest of leaders who trade their interests for their membership and presidency or other personal greed but will speak about the interests of the entire community. No member of the Haryana Sikh Ekta Dal panel shall contest any election himself nor shall he take any personal advantage.