CHANDIGARH, Punjab—It was January 16, 2015 when Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa started a hunger strike for the release of political Sikh prisoners by performing ‘Ardas’ himself and without informing anyone or making prior public announcements. His hunger strike was totally a surprise for all, especially his family members who later endured the state excesses for Bapu’s courage.
Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa’s struggle made the Punjab government to release prominent political Sikh prisoners like Prof. Devender Pal Singh Bhullar and Bhai Gurdeep Singh Khera who have spent almost the whole of their lives in the Indian jails.
In August-2015, the Indian agencies succeeded in eliminating the key person of Bapu’s struggle i.e. Bhai Satwinder Singh Bhola who had successfully erected a public momentum in favor of Bapu’s struggle using his intellect and resources. Since then, the public momentum in favor of Bapu’s struggle started declining gradually as the “rainy frogs” working under the title of “Panthik Leadership” started exploring new ways of sustaining their “media worth”.
During these four years, attempts were made to hijack Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa’s struggle by some Congress’ marionettes like Dhian Singh Mand but they didn’t succeed and in the end, we again find Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa standing intact onto his stance even after facing inhuman torture in the police custody continuously for four years.
