Amritsar: The signature campaign of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) started to develop a mass movement for the release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners) will now be intensified as the pracharak (preacher) groups will take this campaign to village level.
Close to 10 lakh people have signed during the campaign. These signatures will be submitted to the President of India. Head Granthi at Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib Parnam Singh said, “Sikh prisoners have been languishing in jails despite completion of their jail terms. The SGPC has been demanding their release for long.
Even the killers of Rajiv Gandhi and those convicted for rape have been released but the Centre Government has been treating the Sikhs differently. We have started the campaign to demand their release.” There is a wave of anger among the Sikh community over the non-release of the captive Sikh leaders.
Sikh political prisoners have been languishing in jails, some for over two decades, yet they were not released despite having completed their sentences. The Article 21 of Indian Constitution gives equal rights to every citizen, but the government’s attitude towards the Sikh community always remained negative.
Bhai Gurdeep Singh Khaira, Prof Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara, Bhai Lakhwinder Singh Lakha, Bhai Gurmeet Singh, Bhai Shamsher Singh had been detained in jails for the past 30 or 32 years, which is double than their announced jail term. Even as per the United Nations Human Rights’ Charter, it is an inhuman practice. The release of Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar only needs signature of CM Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, but in vain.
Despite the completion of their sentences and having good conduct in jails, the ‘Bandi Singhs’ were denied the application of this article merely due to political stubbornness which smacks of victimisation against Sikhs. SGPC Chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said, government is deliberately violating human rights and are not releasing ‘Bandi Singhs’.
In his argument for Sikh prisoners’ release, he cited the release Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins and remission of sentence of convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape case. Over 80 percent of the sacrifices had been made by Sikhs in the freedom of the country.
Still, for the last 75 years, Sikhs are being made to feel alienated in the country. An example of this discrimination with Sikhs is the non-release of ‘Bandi Sikhs’, who are jailed for the past three decades despite having completed their terms. The Sikh community strongly demands that these ‘Bandi Sikhs’, who have completed their sentences as per the law of India, should be released immediately and justice should be delivered to the Sikhs across India.
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