Create movement to ensure release of Sikh prisoners: Sukhbir
Darpan News Desk IANS, 04 May, 2022 09:56 AM
Chandigarh, May 4 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday appealed to all Panthic organisations to unite on a common platform to create a movement to ensure the release of 'bandi-Sikhs' (Sikh prisoners), who have been languishing in jail even after expiry of their life sentences.
Addressing the media here, Badal appealed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President to take the lead and call a meeting of Panthic organisations to devise a joint strategy to fulfill the demand of Punjabis worldwide to free the Sikh prisoners on humanitarian grounds.
"We may have individual and political differences, but let us shed them aside for the cause of the bandi Sikhs," he said.
He asserted that the coordinated approach would be adopted in consultation with all Panthic organisations and parties as well as Singh Sabhas and the Sant Samaj. This could include leading a delegation to the Prime Minister to ensure the speedy release of the Sikh prisoners, Badal said.
He thanked Akal Takth jathedar, Giani Harpreet Singh, for taking the lead in this direction by setting the tone for Panthic unity on this crucial issue which concerned the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide.
Asserting that the release of the 'bandi Sikhs' was a long pending issue and that the entire Khalsa panth as well as Punjabis in general were pained at the delay being shown in releasing them, Badal said it was most unfortunate that the release was not taking place despite a national commitment made by the Union government in this regard by approving the release of Sikh prisoners on the occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev in October 2019.
He said around 50 Sikh prisoners were incarcerated in various jails across the country and they should all be released immediately.
Badal said the way had also been cleared for the release of Balwant Singh Rajoana whose death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Union government in 2019 even as the Supreme Court had commuted Bhullar's death sentence to life on the grounds of inordinate delay in deciding his mercy petition.
He said it was unfortunate that Rajoana was not being released even while the Supreme Court had directed the Central government to take a decision on his mercy petition.
"Similarly the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of Delhi is blocking the release of Bhullar with the government's sentence review board not taking a decision in the matter. AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann owe an explanation on this count to the Sikh community," he added.
Talking to the media at Gurdwara Rakabganj here, Badal said the AAP had again started befooling Punjabis in its age-old tradition. The Punjab Finance Minister had now announced that the state's river waters would not flow into Haryana.
According to the police, acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Sector-40 and cybercrime police stations raided a call centre running in South City Phase-1 and arrested 11 persons, who used to allegedly cheat residents of the US and Canada.
Guru Tegh Bahadur, also known as Hind Di Chadar, stands as a shining symbol of the country's great pluralistic tradition and secularism, and his supreme sacrifice forms an important part of India's history. According to the Chief Minister, Haryana shares a special bond not only with Guru Tegh Bahadur but all 10 Sikh gurus as most of them travelled across the state.
The delegation has demanded that the police should avoid unilateral action and arrest the culprits as soon as possible, and take stern action against whoever is guilty without any discrimination.
Seven others were injured in the mishap, who have shifted to the BDK Hospital in Jhunjhunu. As per the locals, around 18 members of a family had gone to immerse the ashes of an elderly family member who passed away recently when their vehicle overturned.
Superintendent of Police, Rae Bareli, Shlok Kumar said that the main accused in the case is a minor and has been sent to a juvenile home, while six others, identified as Abhishek, Vikas Pasi, Mahendra Kumar, Hrithik Singh, Aman Singh and Yash Pratap are majors and they have been arrested.
