Punjab minister slams MP Simranjit Singh Mann for calling Bhagat Singh 'terrorist'
Chandigarh, Jul 15: Punjab minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Friday said Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann should tender an unconditional apology for calling legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh a "terrorist".
The minister for higher education and languages announced that the state government will bestow martyr status on Bhagat Singh for the supreme sacrifice he made for the sake of country's freedom.
During his interaction with reporters in Karnal on Thursday, Simranjit Singh Mann was asked why he has in the past referred to Bhagat Singh as a "terrorist" when he was a legendary martyr.
"Try to understand, Sardar Bhagat Singh had killed a young English officer, he had killed an Amritdhari Sikh constable, Channan Singh. He had hurled a bomb into the National Assembly at that time. Now, you tell me whether Bhagat Singh was a terrorist or not..," Mann had said in Karnal.
"A newly elected MP has disrespected the sacrifices of legendary martyr Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who laid down his life for the independence of the country," said Hayer here.
Hayer said not only Punjab but the whole nation is proud of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev for sacrificing their lives at a very young age for the country.
"Indians are able to breathe in a free nation because these men sacrificed their present for our future. But Simranjit Mann regrettably does not respect a national hero," said Hayer.
He said Bhagat Singh is their idol "and I want to make it clear with full responsibility that the Punjab government will bestow martyr status to Bhagat Singh".
The Cabinet minister said the Aam Aadmi Party is a democratic party and if required it would initiate legal action against Simranjit Mann "for disrespecting martyr Bhagat Singh and hurting the sentiments of countless Punjabis who hold him in high regard".
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal also slammed Simranjit Singh Mann.
"Every Sikh, every Punjabi & every Indian is proud of Shaheed-e-Azam S Bhagat Singh. Every Sikh treats him as a symbol of our quom's unprecedented contribution to the freedom struggle. @SimranjitSADA is trying to undermine this pride & lower the image of Sikhs all over the world,"Badal said in a tweet.
Every Sikh, every Punjabi & every Indian is proud of Shaheed-e-Azam S. Bhagat Singh. Every Sikh treats him as a symbol of our quom’s unprecedented contribution to the freedom struggle. @SimranjitSADA is trying to undermine this pride & lower the image of Sikhs all over the world. pic.twitter.com/G6MaUhLaex
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) July 15, 2022
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‘Bulldozer Justice’ is like bulldozing the Constitution: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has strongly criticised the practice of demolishing the properties of individuals accused of crimes, equating it to bulldozing the Constitution and undermining the rule of law.
Speaking at the 13th Justice PN Bhagwati International Moot Court Competition on Human Rights at Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law College in Pune, Justice Bhuyan described the trend as "disturbing" and "depressing." He questioned the justification of such actions, often defended as targeting illegal structures, and highlighted their impact on the families of the accused.
"Using a bulldozer to demolish a property is like running a bulldozer over the Constitution. It is a negation of the very concept of the rule of law and, if not checked, would destroy the very edifice of our justice delivery system," he said, as quoted by Bar and Bench.
The practice of ‘bulldozer justice’ gained prominence in Uttar Pradesh under the Yogi Adityanath government in 2017 and has since been adopted in other states. The Supreme Court had previously deemed this approach unacceptable under the rule of law.
Justice Bhuyan emphasised that demolitions impact not just the accused but their families as well. "In that house, his mother stays there, his sister stays there, his wife stays there, his children stay there. What is their fault?" he asked. He further questioned whether it was justifiable to render an accused or even a convicted person homeless through such measures.
On the same day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, responding to queries about the recent violence in Nagpur, indicated that the government might consider similar measures. "The Maharashtra government has its own style of working… bulldozer will roll when necessary," he said.
Violence erupted in central Nagpur following rumours that a sacred text was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing group demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
Justice Bhuyan, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2023 after serving as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, reiterated the importance of upholding due process and warned against actions that undermine constitutional principles.
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