Case against Badal: US court reserves verdict

A US court in Wisconsin has reserved its decision in the alleged human rights violation case against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal after completing hearing in the matter.

The district court had taken up a petition filed by New York-based rights body 'Sikh for Justice', which had alleged that Badal committed "grave human rights violations" against the community in India.

Attorneys appearing for Badal have argued that he never received any summons from the court, whereas Sikh for Justice claims that its authorised person served the court summons.

'Sikh for Justice' in a statement said that it would now approach the recently created American Sikh Congressional Caucus seeking their help in asking the State Department to withdraw its support to Badal, and will demand a Congressional hearing to discuss ban on the entry Shiromani Akali Dal leaders to US.

Notably, the recently formed Caucus has said it will only raise domestic issues related to Sikhs and not foreign issues.

Members of 'Sikh for Justice' were present on the occasion of announcement of the Caucus in Washington last month.