AMRITSAR SAHIB—Describing him a martyr for human rights, various Sikh organizations today paid rich tributes to human rights activist S. Jaswant Singh Khalra, who was abducted and subsequently eliminated by Punjab Police in September 1995.
The function at native village Gurdwara to pay homage to the martyr was organized by his wife Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra, who has fought a long and hard legal battle to ensure that her husband’s killers were brought to justice. Representatives of Dal Khalsa and others honoured Bibi Khalra with a robe of honour.
Notably, armed commandos of the Tarn Taran police abducted Shaheed Khalra from outside his house on 6th September 1995. There was no official admission of his abduction, neither by the police leadership nor by the then government officials.
While addressing the spirited gathering, Bibi Khalra narrated how her husband was abducted and killed by Tarn Taran police on the specific orders of then SSP Ajit Sandhu. Bibi Khalra said her husband was eliminated by the forces and political lobby who was afraid of being exposed for committing excesses against the Sikhs. She vowed to continue the mission carried by her husband for justice and truth.
Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said the voice of the S. Khalra was silenced forever because he became the voice of the voiceless. He said the contribution and sacrifice of Khalra was unique as he was struggling to get justice for the disappeared persons who were illegally abducted, tortured, eliminated and cremated as unidentified bodies by the Punjab police and other security forces. He asserted that the abduction and killing of Khalra was done at the behest of then DGP KP Gill, who has escaped the long arm of the law. Referring to the Akali Dal inducting former cop Izhar Alam into its rank and file, he said perpetrators of human rights abuses have found safe haven in all mainstream parties be it SAD, Congress or BJP.
Resolutions were passed seeking impartial and comprehensive investigation into the gross human rights violations, illegal abductions and cremations by the then police officials. The meet also sought release of Sikh detainees languishing in various jails. The gathering rue that the present day government of Akali Dal was no different from the then tyrannical rule of the Congress.
Bibi Paramjit Kaur stated that the annual event is organized to connect with Sikh Sangat and to make them aware of the grave injustices.
SAD (Panch Pardani) leader Baldev Singh Sirsa and Dalbir Singh patron of Khalra Mission Organization also spoke at the event.
