The candidate put forward by the ruling Akal Dal party for the State Assembly Election of January 2012, Malerkotla seat, was to say the least a controversial step.
International Panthic Dal (IPD) was the only Sikh Organisation outside India to take practical steps to prevent Mohammed Izhar Alam gaining a ticket to fight State Assembly Elections in Punjab from the constituency of Malerkotla.
It was while Izhar Alam served as a Senior Officer within Punjab Police, that the extrajudicial killings of Sikhs in Punjab was at its peak, many local, national and International human right groups found and publicised many cases of Sikhs being victims of extrajudicial killings/false encounters.
For the people of Punjab Mohamamed Izhar Alams name was and still is infamous, it was common knowledge that police disguised as militants would not only infiltrate militant groups and eliminate them from within but also the harassment and killings of sometimes whole families would be carried out by them (Punjab Police).
The truth finally came out, but to people of Punjab it was no surprise. A recent “expose” by Wikileaks mentions the existence of “Alam Sena”. (Army of Momhamed Izhar Alam) This group is blamed for many human rights atrocities that occurred in Punjab during the late eighties and early nineties.
International Panthic Dal (IPD) after consulting with Sikh leaders in Punjab and after approaching Sri Akal Takht, started a petition campaign to prevent Alam standing as a candidate from the Malerkotla, thousands of signatures were collected from the Sangat in the UK, all were then sent to Sri Akal Takht, religious and ruling political leaders in Punjab.
