Press Conference held by Bibi Sarvarinder Kaur and S. Gurtej Singh to Clarify Details of Sikh Prisoner Release Campaign

CHANDIGARH, Punjab—On the 72nd day of hunger strike of Bapu Surat Singh Ji Khalsa for the release of Sikh detainees languishing across the different jails of India, a press conference was held in Chandigarh.  The conference was addressed by Bibi Sarvarinder Kaur and S. Gurtej Singh.

Bibi Sarvarinder Kaur and S. Gurtej Singh IAS

Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa had started this struggle in his home at village Hassanpur of District Ludhiana. This struggle was totally peaceful and Bapu Ji didn’t initiate it with the intent of criticizing an individual or an organization.  It is worth mentioning that the Punjab Police forcefully arrested Bapu Surat Singh and admitted him in hospital against his will. During this period, family members of Bapu Ji (all US citizens) arrived in India to fulfill his last wishes. But the Government also arrested his son Ravinderjit Singh Gogi leveling false charge of 107/151 against him.

Bibi Sarvarinder Kaur stated that while initiating the force feeding of Bapu Surat Singh Ji Khalsa, Punjab Police and Doctors used a cruel strategy – pipes were mercilessly stitched on his forehead to invade diet in his body through his nose.

It is noteworthy that in past, Bapu Ji had commenced a hunger strike along with Anna Hajare in support of Jan Lokpal Bill.  While now the Government has arrested Bapu Surat Singh, when he had kept hunger strike with Anna Hajare, no cases were registered against either of them.  It was stated at the press conference that if the Government believes that the the struggle of Bapu Ji instigates violence, why wasn’t he arrested earlier, instead of being admitted to the hospital forcibly by the police?

Bibi Sarvarinder Kaur stated that DGP Sumedh Saini blamed Bapu Ji for collecting funds.  “This is a pure lie, Sumedh Saini is leveling these blames without any proof,” she added.

“We want to clarify here that Bapu Ji never submitted any list of 82 prisoners to Punjab Government. Instead, Bapu Ji’s struggle is for the release of those prisoners, on the cases of which the Supreme Court hasn’t asked the state governments to refrain from taking action,” she added.

“Baj Singh and Hardeep Singh are examples of these cases. The Court has asked the [Punjab] Government to organize discussion on the release of these prisoners, but the Government denied doing so.”

“Beside this, the accused culprits of Sikh Genocide of Delhi like Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar need to be imprisoned under the same articles, which are implemented on Sikh prisoners. The law can’t be criticized, but the law operating powers are holding dubious approach. If the same law can provide regular paroles to Gumeet Pinki (cat of Punjab Police), SSP Pritpal S Virk, Sanjay Datt and others, then why it is not so in case of Sikh Prisoners?”

It was stated that Parkash Badal can be considered the main obstacle in the release of Sikh detainees. The Government of Jammu & Kashmir has already raised an example by releasing Muslim prisoners.  The Badal Government would have acted upon this issue without any hesitation. “Badal Government tried to destroy the struggle of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa in manner of dictatorship, refraining from starting correspondence on this issue. Government leveled false charges against Bapu Ji and his son to detain them,” she clarified.

Indian Law gives provision of struggling peacefully for their rights to its citizens, but the Government has used illegal strategy to suppress the voice of Human Rights.  They appealed to the Punjab Government to take suitable initiative to release the Sikh detainees just like the Jammu & Kashmir Government. In case the Badal Government fails in releasing Sikh detainees or do not release due to its political benefits, it might face huge failure in controlling the agitation of Sikh Nation.

The press conference was organized with efforts of Surinder Singh of Taking Punjab.  S. Gurtej Singh played an eminent role with providing details.

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