Note: The below communique has been sent by Tejinderpal Singh of Anad Foundation. Daily Post does not confirm or deny the veracity of these claims.
The Anad Foundation at the Qila, Sultanpur Lodhi - Official response to the recent controversy
By Tejinderpal Singh
Anad Foundation
Sultanpur Lodhi
Kapurthala
Until May of 2015, Anad had already served Punjab's cultural traditions in a very unique manner. Can any protagonist ever take siege of a Punjab Police Station?
The conversation here is between Bhai Baldeep Singh (Founder Chairman, The Anad Foundation) & SSP Kapurthala, Ashish Kumar IPS.
We had requested for possession of abandoned places inside the Qila so that the conservation of both the tangible (sthool virsa) and intangible (sukham te abodh virsa) of Punjab could begin immediately.
Anad subsequently spent tens of lakhs of hard earned money to renovate abandoned spaces as well as to maintain the lawns. Teaching of children from under-served communities has been been an important feature.
We have refrained from posting official documents for sake of propriety but as several journalists have been calling the concerned cops, it has become important to share at least some communication by way of which we had begun our unique qualitative contributions.
The fact is that the Punjab Police is the illegal occupant of the Qila. If anyone actually has had a mandate to be inside, it is The Anad Foundation by way of presentations to the Government of Punjab and by way of the decisions taken by none other that the Sultanpur Lodhi Development Board, chaired by Honorable Chief Minister, Sardar Parkash Singh Badal himself.
This is to place our humble credentials on record!
Attempted Murder of Cultural Traditions of Punjab —their Critical Revival!
The Punjab Police Conduct: They approach Assistant Supervisor Jatinder Singh Bhamra, and threaten that if he doesn't open the Flat, they will arrest all the students who study at the Anad Conservatory.
We are informed that the local Punjab Police SHO, stationed at Qila, Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, has authorized (at a local petty political behest) the forcible eviction of The Anād Foundation's Assistant Supervisor from his caretaker-residence at the Qila, Sultanpur Lodhi, which is currently on as I write. All of his luggage as well as the property of Anad Foundation is being thrown out of the Flat. The Assist. Supervisor's telephone has also been taken away from him so he could not inform me of this illegal police action. This signifies that he was physically overpowered.
The students of the Anad Conservatory have not been allowed to enter the Qila to do their daily practice. The police has posted a gunman outside the Qila to prevent the students to access their musical instruments.
Punjab Police Station Sultanpur Lodhi, DSP Sultanpur Lodhi and SSP Kapurthala refuse to budge
They have not threatened the students with arrest if they do not leave the premises of the Anad Conservatory site. They are also pushing and shoving the students. They have threatened to break all the heritage instruments - these could actually be stolen by the SHO even for he is an antique collectors, even an alleged antique dealer.
This is a photo from today after the musical instruments, several of them priceless Punjabi heritage, have been thrown out of the classroom where Dr. Virinder Kumar Phd. taught the students inside the classroom at the Qila.
Photo of Dr. Virender Kumar Phd., one of Punjab's iconic Sitar exponents sitting outside with the instruments!
Punjab Police says we are the illegal occupants of the Quila
I spoke to the SSP Kapurthala, Ashish Kumar IPS, and he told me that we are illegal occupants at the Qila.
I told him that how can one of India's important conservators of cultural heritage with a particular focus on Punjab illegally occupy a Police Station? Obviously, he told me that he will not speak to me over the phone and put it down on me.
I texted him the following:
I told him that how can one of India's important conservators of cultural heritage with a particular focus on Punjab illegally occupy a Police Station? Obviously, he told me that he will not speak to me over the phone and put it down on me.
I texted him the following:
"I appreciate you grant of a few seconds!
One, that we are not there illegally! As a senior IPS officer, you bound to uphold the highest values of justice and fairness and certainly not of highhandedness!
Your action, personally overseen by you, is illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional, dictatorial and even perhaps Fascist in nature. One of the most important protagonists of India's cultural traditions of this country does not and cannot illegally occupy a Police Station - remember that!
You are advised to only enhgage (sic) in actions that do not bring disrepute to you, your police force, to the Government of Punjab, and to the proud citizens of this extraordinary state!"
One, that we are not there illegally! As a senior IPS officer, you bound to uphold the highest values of justice and fairness and certainly not of highhandedness!
Your action, personally overseen by you, is illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional, dictatorial and even perhaps Fascist in nature. One of the most important protagonists of India's cultural traditions of this country does not and cannot illegally occupy a Police Station - remember that!
You are advised to only enhgage (sic) in actions that do not bring disrepute to you, your police force, to the Government of Punjab, and to the proud citizens of this extraordinary state!"
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