:dateline:In wake of hunger strike of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa, a delegation of leaders from�various Panthik organizations met�Punjab chief minister Parkash Badal at�his residence to take up the issue of permanent release of Sikh political prisoners languishing in various jails of India despite completion of their prison terms. The meeting was reportedly called by the Chief Minister himself yesterday.
The 10-member delegation comprised Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) leader Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, Dal Khalsa leader Kanwarpal Singh, United Akali Dal leader Gurdeep Singh Bathinda, Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Jaswant Singh Mann, Advocate Rajwinder Singh Bains, Jasbir Singh Khandur, Gurnam Singh Sidhu, Rajwinder Singh Gogi and Advocate Satnam Singh.
They said that the delegation made the Chief Minister aware of the fact that the issue of Sikh political prisoners is facing legal and administrative inaction which caused frustration among Sikh nation. The delegation asked Badal to play positive role in this respect discarding negligence.
The meeting lasted for an hour and Punjab�s advocate general Aggarwal was present�as well.
A copy of the letter written by Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa to Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also handed over to Badal.
Panthik leaders told CM that Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa has taken the step of hunger strike in view of ending hunger strike by Bhai Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa in-between. They asked Badal not to harass Bapu Khalsa and respect his right to protest democratically .
They undermined Badal�s apprehension that hunger strike of Bapu Khalsa could hit law and order of the state. They assured that law and order would not be allowed to be hit. They appealed Badal to endorse both demands described by Bapu Khalsa in his letter.
Badal termed him as �helpless� citing that Supreme Court has stayed release of any such prisoners. However, he assured that still he would negotiate with the governments of concerned states and ask them to take necessary legal measures along with Punjab to ensure release of the Sikh detainees.
Altogether, the Sikh delegation gained nothing but false promises in the meeting.
