Chandigarh — The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has formally appealed to the Governor of Punjab, Sh Gulab Chand Kataria, to take immediate action against the escalating police violence targeting peaceful demonstrators across the state. In a letter dated April 20, 2025, NAPA Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal expressed deep concern over what he described as a “disturbing pattern of police brutality and administrative repression” against various protest groups.
The letter highlights specific incidents, including a March 2024 crackdown on contractual teachers near the Punjab Civil Secretariat in Mohali, where protestors, many of them women, suffered injuries during an unprovoked lathi charge. It also references incidents in Bathinda where unemployed youth were allegedly beaten and detained without warning while protesting delayed recruitment processes.
“These incidents not only tarnish the image of Punjab but also violate the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution,” Chahal wrote in his appeal to the Governor. The letter emphasizes that farmers, educators, government employees, and youth groups have faced similar treatment while attempting to exercise their democratic right to peaceful assembly.
NAPA, which represents thousands of Punjabis living in North America, has called on the Governor to use his constitutional authority to:
- Ensure immediate cessation of police excesses against peaceful protesters
- Order independent inquiries into incidents of violence with full transparency
- Direct the Bhagwant Mann administration to engage in constructive dialogue with protest groups
- Reinforce the state’s commitment to upholding civil liberties and democratic rights
“We strongly believe that dissent and dialogue are pillars of a healthy democracy,” said Chahal. “No democratic government can justify such brutality against its own educators, farmers, and youth—the very backbone of any progressive society.”
NAPA has expressed hope that the Governor will treat this matter with urgency, acting as both constitutional head of state and guardian of justice and dignity for Punjab’s citizens