Perturbed over the killings of 48 unarmed protesters and blinding of scores of youth with pellet guns, dishonouring of women and invoking censorship on media, the Dal Khalsa based in Amritsar will hold a demonstration on July 22, 2016 to raise its voice against “onslaughts of security forces in Kashmir”.“Activists of the organization will organize a sit-in at Jalandhar for two hours at Nakodar Chowk and offer prayers at nearby Gurudwara to pay homage to those who have fallen to the bullets of Indian forces in the last two weeks in the valley,” a statement issued by Dal Khalsa said.Party head Harpal Singh Cheema said that they have decided to observe July 22 as ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’.“The happenings in Kashmir was reminiscent of what happened in Punjab in 1984 and afterwards. The (Indian) state targeted the Punjab and the Sikhs then and now all hell has been let loose on people of Kashmir” he said.
“We can realize the pain and wounds of Kashmiri people as we had gone through such horrible times. The Punjab is the natural neighbour of Kashmir and we would stand by our neighbours with firm resolve in their hour of crisis,” said Cheema.The statement said that Dal Khalsa leaders praised the manner in which the people of Kashmir have “braved all sufferings and hardships and shown their steadfastness and commitment towards the goal of Azaadi”. “They were of the view that state-terrorism can’t kill the genuine aspirations of the people of J&K.”Another party activist Kanwar Pal Singh rued that the world powers were observing silence. He alleged that their silence has “emboldened” New Delhi to carry on with its atrocities and brutalities.Lending moral support to the demand of Kashmiri people for Right to Self Determination, he said, “this is an inalienable right of struggling ethnic people and nations including Kashmiri’s, Sikhs, Nagas etc.”