NEW YORK (TIP): A meeting of representatives of the Punjabis in New York was held on Sunday, June 18 in which the Punjab Chief Minister’s action against the Daily Ajit was strongly condemned. President of Indian Overseas Congress USA Mohinder Singh Gilzian said that the AAP government of Punjab in taking action against Ajit is trying to silence the voice of the people of Punjab. He further said that Punjabis abroad will not tolerate this. We will support and defend the publication wholeheartedly . He said a larger meeting would be convened and appropriate action against the dictatorial Punjab government initiated.
Baldev Singh Grewal, who served Ajit for a long time, said that Ajit Jalandhar is the only voice of Punjabis, especially the Sikhs. When Ajit was established and earned a readership of hundreds of thousands through hard work, Hind Samachar and Tribune Group started Punjabi editions, seeing commercial possibilities. Before that, these people were campaigning against Punjabi. The action of the present government of Punjab against Ajit should be considered as an action against Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiat. The Chief Minister of the Punjabi state based on the Punjabi dialect, who himself has been making a living by making Punjabi comedy till today, should desist from taking the heinous action against the Punjabi newspaper.

Prof. Indrajit Singh Saluja, president of the international organization “Journalists Beyond Borders”, said that newspapers are the voice of the people. Media is the fourth pillar of democracy. The action of forcing any newspaper with the intention of closing it cannot be tolerated. Voice will be raised against this dictatorial action of Bhagwant Mann at the international level. As a first, the media will boycott AAP politicians coming from India to US.

Gurmeet Singh Butar and Bhinda Begowalia said that Bhagwant Mann should stop the daily excesses against Ajit. This is a newspaper of the people of Punjab, not owned by any particular caste. An attack on its editor Barjinder Singh is an attack on Ajit newspaper and an attack on the voice of Punjabiat. The meeting passed a resolution unanimously and strongly condemning the action of Punjab Chief Minister against Ajit and Ajit’s editor Barjinder Singh Hamdard.