On June 30, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Amritsar, awarded the family of Jugraj Singh for hoisting ‘Kesari Flag’ (Flag with Sikh Holy Symbol) on Red Fort on Republic Day this year. During the riots at the national capital on 26th January, as part of the farmer protests, the Red Fort was taken over by the protestors, who had hoisted the flag on it. The rioters had also attacked the police and vandalised the historic monument.
In a social media post, SGPC wrote, “SGPC honoured the family of Sikh youth Bhai Jugraj Singh who hoisted the Kesri Flag on Red Fort with Rs 1 lakh. SGPC member Bhai Manjit Singh handed over this appreciation amount to the family of Bhai Jugraj Singh.”
#SGPC honoured the family of #Sikh youth Bhai Jugraj Singh who hoisted the #KesriFlag on #RedFort with Rs 1 lakh. SGPC member Bhai Manjit Singh handed over this appreciation amount to the family of Bhai Jugraj Singh. pic.twitter.com/t9EU6M8WCp
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) (@SGPCAmritsar) June 30, 2021
The family was ‘honoured’ in May
Reportedly, this is not the first time SGPC has ‘honoured’ the family of Jugraj Singh. In March 2021, an event was organized inside Golden temple in memory of the rioter identified as Navreet Singh, who was killed during the Republic Day riots after his tractor turned turtle while trying to break barricades.
During that event, the father of 21-year-old rioter Jugrat Singh was honoured by the Committee. Jugraj Singh hails from Vaan Tara Singh village of Punjab’s Tarn Taran district. He was booked for rioting and sedition by Delhi Police for Republic Day riots and has since been run. Police have announced a bounty of Rs.1 lakh for anyone who can provide information that could lead to his arrest.
Notably, on June 29, Delhi Police had arrested Buta Singh from Talwandi Sabo. Singh, a 25-year-old rioter, had helped Jugraj Singh to hoist the flag during the Republic Day riots. There was a bounty of Rs.50,000 for his arrest. The villagers had blocked the roads inside the village to stop police from arresting Buta Singh. However, with the help of Punjab Police officials present at the scene, Delhi Police could arrest him. Another accused, Gurjot Singh, was also arrested on June 28.
Republic Day Riots
On January 26, groups of alleged farmers forcefully entered Delhi on the pretext of a Tractor Rally. They created a riot-like situation in which over 300 police personnel were injured, and properties worth crores were damaged. The rally was supposed to be a protest rally against the Agriculture laws named Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 that was passed in September 2020.
Visuals that emerged from the riots showed how the alleged farmers tried to mow down the police personnel with tractors, attacked them with swords, batons and other weapons and mercilessly attacked police personnel at Red Fort for security purposes. A group of rioters including Deep Sidhu, Gurjot Singh, Jugraj Singh and others reached the Red Fort and hoisted two flags with the Sikh Holy symbol. Interestingly, the hoisting of the flag was in sync with the provocations of terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice, whose founder had announced a cash prize for the person(s) who hoist the flag on Red Fort. A total of 43 cases were registered in connection to the riots.
