Sikhs condemn growing attacks on them in the country

Kolkata, Aug 30 (UNI) Members of Sri Guru Singh Sabha in West Bengal today condemned the growing incidents of ''attacks on Sikhs'' in different parts of the country and demanded stern action against the culprits.

In a strongly worded statement here Sabha spokesman Satnam Singh cited several incidents of ''forcibly chopping off hair'' of Sikhs in various cities and towns, including Jaipur, Jamshedpur, Sagar(Madhya Pradesh)and Kurukshetra during the past few weeks.

Describing such incidents as ''direct attacks on Sikhism'', Mr Singh warned that members of the Sikh community ''will no longer tolerate such macabre incidents and rise in protest''.

''These incidents give us an impression that Sikhs are being treated as second class citizens in India,'' the statement said and demanded strict punishment to the culprits to prevent a recurrence.

He said senior members of Guru Singh Sabha here had already met Governor Gopal Krihna Gandhi and submitted a memorandum registering their protest. ''We have also taken up the issue with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and both of them have promised to take up the issue with the Centre besides, taking adequate measures in the state.'' UNI ABA PL YA KN1607