'Aquaint people of Sikh identity to prevent violent incidents'

Punjab government on Wednesday urged the Centre to launch a campaign to aquaint people about the separate identity of Sikhs in countries where they have a substantial presence, saying it will help prevent incidents like the recent shooting at a gurudwara in Oak Creek in which six worshippers were killed.

"The Union government should immediately initiate a campaign through diplomatic channels to make people aware of the separate identity of Sikhs residing in foreign countries to avoid tragic incidents like the one outside a Sikh temple at Oak Creek," Punjab Revenue, Information and Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said here.

He said it is the need of the hour to start such diplomatic talks with the governments of different countries having dense Sikh population to ensure total safety of members of the community.

Majithia, who was unfurling the national flag at the Guru Nanak Stadium here to mark the 66th Independence Day, thanked the US for their positive and sympathetic role post the Oak Creek incident.

A metropolitan planning committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal to monitor the status of development projects in Amritsar, he said.

A master plan for the development of the holy city from all spheres would be implemented in coming two years, Majithia said.

He said Amritsar would soon have a state-of-the-art trade fair centre and the government has identified 20 acres of land for this purpose, while the proposal to construct a mini secretariat at Amritsar has also been finalized.