July 9, 2017
Radio Lohgarh News Service
Auckland
Ropar police arrested Surjit Gag a Punjabi communist infamous mainly for his derogatory and substandard poetry in Punjabi language which he posts on his Facebook page.
- Arrest came after Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) filed an FIR against him at Anandpur Sahib police station under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code.
- Gag’s derogatory poem in question is titled ‘ਮੈਂ ਤੇ ਨਾਨਕ’ (“I and Nanak”) in which he not only equates himself with Guru Nanak Sahib but also uses extremely ugly imagery. We do not want to publicise insulting writings in question by reproducing them here. However, if anyone wishes to read it they can do so here.
- Gag works as a television technician and hails from Gag village near Anandpur Sahib. He seeks fame and fortune in infamy and at one time even claimed to have received threats to his life for his writings.
- A few months ago, he lost primary membership of the local Likhari Sabha for his deliberately insulting activities causing social disharmony.
- According to Ropar SSP Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu, the complaint was lodged by Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib manager Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh stated that he acted on the directions of SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar.
- Interestingly, Punjab’s communist groups have started protesting Gag’s arrest while not uttering a single word of condemnation against his deliberately insulting and derogatory writings.
- Ranbir Randhawa of the Punjab Students’ Union (PSU), Surjit Singh of the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Jasmer Singh of Tarksheel Society and CPI district secretary Davinder Nangli have termed the arrest as “an attack on freedom of expression” when they fully know that Section 295-A spells exactly the limits on freedom of expression that protect society from deliberate provocation aimed at causing social disharmony and unrest.
- It should also be noted that the names of the communists listed above clearly convey the Sikh heritage of their ancestors. Their anti-Sikh activities point to the decline of Sikh Kaum.
- Sikh Centre New Zealand Chairman, Verpal Singh said, “Surjit Gag at least is known to be outside the sphere of Sikhi hence can be easily ignored. What do we do about people who masquerade as Sikhs, take control of a Gurdwara committee by hook or crook, call our Sikh preachers and other eminent Sikhs derogatory and insulting names while praising every Tom, Dick and Harry as ‘more relevant than Gurbani’?”
- Indeed Surjit Gag episode has raised some very pertinent matters that demand constructive discussion and attention of the whole Kaum.