:dateline:As the health of Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa deteriorates to�dangerous levels, Canadian Sikhs are calling on the Government of�Canada to speak out. �The Coalition of Sikh Organizations is hosting a�Community Town Hall on�Wednesday, December 18, 2013�that will include�a live stream from Punjab, India with Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, pending�his health.
Canadian Sikhs are concerned that Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa�s life may be�at risk as India refuses to release 6 Sikh Political Prisoners that�have served their terms, but remain imprisoned for political purposes.
�The Government of India has thus far been silent on its illegal�detention of Sikh Prisoners. We�re worried that this injustice will�result in another, as Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa has vowed to continue his�Hunger Strike until death, for the right of illegally detained Sikh and non-Sikh Political�Prisoners,� said Amarjit Singh from Ontario Gurdwara Committee.
Canadian Sikhs are deeply concerned by the actions of the Indian�authorities, as they have escalated their aggression toward minorities.�Recently,�Indian authorities entered a Sikh Gurdwara in plain clothes, detained�Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa and eventually produced him before an executive magistrate�on December 6, 2013 without legal representation. Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa was remanded into custody for a period of 15 days and has since been released.
�Canadian Sikhs are feeling quite uneasy given the history of impunity and violence by Indian authorities, in the illegal detainment of minorities and Sikh youth,��said President of Ontario Khalsa Darbar Avtar Singh Punia.
After decades of forced disappearances, kidnappings and extra judicial�killings of Sikhs in Punjab by government authorities, Canadian�Sikhs are now worried that India’s refusal to apply the law equally�for minorities could exacerbate existing trauma felt both in Punjab�and the diaspora, as they fear for the safety of family members and loved ones.
�We�re thankful for the democratic institutions of Canada, the due�process of law and equality provided by the judicial system. �We hope�that the Government of Canada can lead by example as a beacon of hope�by expressing our concerns to their counterparts in India,� added a�Inderjit Singh, Youth Coordinator for COSO.
The Coalition of Sikh Organizations (COSO) has extended an invitation to�Members of Federal and Provincial Parliament to attend a Community gathering�and hear the concerns of Sikh Canadians.
Sikh Community Town Hall � Mr Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa
Date:�Wednesday, December 18th, 2013
Location: Chandni Gateway – 5 Gateway Blvd, Brampton
Time:�6:00pm – 9:00pm
Details of the event are available here.
