Since the first attack on poor Sikhs in 2018 in Shillong, when an attempt was made to torch their houses and overawe them, followed by concerted media badgering of Sikhs by local leaders, under state patronage of the BJP-coalition government, the World Sikh News has been exhorting Sikh leadership across the board to take keen and consistent interest to save the beleaguered Sikh residents, who made Shillong their home more than two centuries ago in the now-named Punjabi Lane area, still shamelessly officially called the Sweeperer’s Colony road. WSN editor Jagmohan Singh repeats the plea of wide-ranging Panthic participation and protest across India to save the habitat of the Shillong Sikhs.

After a spate of High court orders reiterating the position of the Sikh residents of Punjabi Lane, Shillong, the Meghalaya government which was lying low during the Covid19 times, has suddenly gone overboard, with the cabinet taking decisions to take over the property of the area disputed by them, forcible eviction of government employees and others by relocating them elsewhere as per the will of the government.

Even though the matter of the relocation of the Shillong Sikhs is pending in the Supreme Court and the Meghalaya High Court at Shillong, even though there are status quo and non-relocation orders by the National Commission for Minorities, National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, the Meghalaya government is resorting to strongarm tactics.

The full report of the so-called High-Level Committee has not yet been made public. 

Minority Sikhs of Meghalaya won’t tolerate forced relocation from Punjabi Lane at Bara Bazar, Shillong by High Level Committee
HLC is working in biased manner & we won’t allow this injustice
This action will have worldwide reaction
Urging @SangmaConrad Ji to maintain status quo pic.twitter.com/vQOMVOSdLA

— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) October 7, 2021

Since 2018, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, United Sikhs, the government of Punjab, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee have taken a keen interest in the affairs of the poor Sikhs there.  

DSGMC has provided all legal help and even last night, DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa countered the tweet of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.  The delegations of the SGPC and the Punjab government, on more than a couple of occasions in the past, have provided succour and support.  

Once again, now with the Meghalaya government vowing to force change within a week, it is imperative for the Punjab government, the SGPC and the DSGMC to send delegations to meet the beleaguered Sikhs there. 

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu must make Shillong their next stop. Deputy Chief Minister Randhawa has visited Shillong twice and it will be in the fitness of things that he takes over from there. 

Sikhs across India must protest outside offices of the Meghalaya government, especially in Delhi. 

Sikhs across India must protest outside offices of the Meghalaya government, especially in Delhi.

While the Sikhs in Shillong are petitioning National Commission for Minorities, other bodies must also take this up with the NCM.

In a message to the media, Gurjit Singh, the secretary of the Harijan Panchayat Committee, has warned, “We will fight for our rights till our last breath. We will die for our land and will not allow any illegal, unlawful, unethical and unjust action by the Meghalaya government.” 

WSN appeals to the Sikh world to rise to the occasion as we do not want any more injustice against Sikhs in far-flung areas.