A public interest litigation was filed in the high court on Friday seeking directions to the Punjab government to immediately demolish the "illegal" memorials being constructed in the memory of various terrorists who were killed by security forces during their anti-national activities and to
remove their photos, statues and literature from various museums and religious places.
After going through the petition, a division bench comprising chief justice AK Sikri and justice Rakesh Kumar Jain directed the petitioners, Baljit Singh Jassian of Naveen Nagar, Ludhiana and Ashok Deorha of Kotkapura, to submit their representation before the state authorities concerned.
The petitioners had sought directions to the state authorities to enforce law of the land and restrain the anti-national activities being carried out by various organisations, including the SGPC.
The petitioners submitted that photos, statues and literature relating to militants should also be removed from the Golden Temple and the Sikh heritage museum at Anandpur Sahib. They said the photos of most dreaded terrorists like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale had been openly displayed in the museum of the Golden Temple, and in the literature he had been shown as the "most respected martyr" who laid down his life for the formation of Khalistan.
The petitioners also sought directions to the SGPC for protection of life and liberty. They stated that in the recent past, the SGPC, in connivance with organisations like the Damdami Taksal, had started honouring proclaimed terrorists by giving them various titles like "Zinda Shaheed" (living martyr), instigating anti-national feelings.