BBSBF demands installation of Baba Banda Singh’s statue at Kunjwani Chowk

BBSBF office bearers during a press conference at Jammu on Thursday.
BBSBF office bearers during a press conference at Jammu on Thursday.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Foundation (BBSBF) has urged upon the State Government to give immediate approval for the installation of statue of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Kunjwani Chowk.
Addressing a press conference here today, president, BBSBF, Balvinder Singh, said that sanction to the representation of the foundation in this regard, which was supported by various Rajput and other organizations, is lying pending in the Urban and Housing Development Department since long.
Dalip Singh, senior vice president, Rajinder Singh Wazir, general secretary, Surinder Singh Wazir, secretary and Sharanjit Singh, joint secretary, were also present.
Singh asserted that there is a lot of resentment among the Sikh community particularly amongst the youth against the Jammu Municipal Corporation whose officials removed the signboard in the name of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur which was fixed there by the Sikh youth and which remained there for a long time, on the pretext that it was named without seeking prior approval from the competent authority.
“However, when we got information with regard to various other chowks in the city, under RTI, it revealed that none of the chowks of the city have any valid permission from the competent authority”, he said, and accused the Government for adopting different yards sticks while dealing with the cases of majority community and minority community.
He called upon right thinking people of the State and particularly to those who are opposing naming of Kunjwani Chowk on the name of Baba Banda Bahadur Singh and installation of his statue at the Chowk, to come forward at this juncture to support this cause of the Sikh community and promote brotherhood in the State.
The foundation member further said that if the State Government fails to accord sanction at the earliest, the delegation of the Foundation shall meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and impress upon the State Government to fulfill the long pending demand of the Sikh community.