Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday asserted that the pending issue of Bandi Sikhs languishing in jails cannot be allowed to remain “unresolved indefinitely.”He assured a four-member committee constituted by the Bandi Singh Insaaf Morcha that the state govt will take all possible legal and constitutional steps for an early resolution.During his meeting with the committee, Mann said legitimate steps which should have been taken years ago, but were not taken, will now be pursued on priority, reiterating the Punjab govt stood firmly for justice.Later, in a post on X, Mann said: “I assured the panel that the Punjab govt is committed to finding an appropriate solution to this issue at the earliest. The Punjab govt will take on priority the legitimate and legal steps that previous governments failed to take for years, so that this matter can be resolved at the earliest.”Mann added in a statement that the issue “cannot be allowed to remain unresolved indefinitely”. “It is an emotive and sensitive issue for everyone. I have assured the committee that the Punjab govt is committed to pursuing every legitimate, legal and constitutional avenue available to facilitate an appropriate and early resolution of this matter,” he said.He said, “For years, several legitimate steps pertaining to this issue remained pending despite successive governments being in a position to take them. The steps which should have been taken years ago but were not taken will now be pursued on priority. We will take these steps strictly within the framework of the Constitution and the law. This issue involves matters of justice, humanity and the rights of individuals who have already undergone prolonged periods of incarceration.”
