Plaint against khanda photo on ‘beedi’ pack

Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 21

Irked over an image of “khanda” (Sikh religious symbol) on a packet of “beedi” (thin cigarette filled with tobacco), the SGPC has approached the Amritsar Police Commissioner to take action against the firm owner.

SGPC secretary Manjit Singh Batth has submitted a complaint with Police Commissioner SS Srivastava.

Spokesperson Kulwinder Singh Ramdas said, “On the packet of ‘beedi’, there was an image of a child sporting a ‘patka’ with ‘khanda’ printed on it. In addition to this blunder, the word Khalsa too was written on it. Such an act could not be tolerated. We have requested the police to initiate action against the management at the earliest,” he said.

Takht slams racist attack in Austria

Akal Takht and the SGPC have criticised the incident at Austria airport in which founder of Khalsa Aid Ravi Singh was allegedly subjected to racial attack.

Akal Takht’s officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said the SGPC and other Sikh organisations should take up the matter with the higher authorities and officials should be questioned for racial discrimination meted out to a person who had dedicated his life for social humanitarian cause.

SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal said Ravi Singh’s NGO had always extended a helping hand during global crises and it was a pity that he faced racial attack. “I appeal to the Centre to take up the matter with authorities in Vienna so that such incidents are not repeated,” he said.