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.
The activists of Punjab Congress will walk towards Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh if Priyanka Gandhi is not released and the Union Minister's son accused of murder not arrested, said state party President Navjot Sidhu on Tuesday.
Referring to police action against protesting farmers in Congress-ruled Rajasthan, the BJP leader said, "Congress leaders who are very keen to visit Lakhimpur Kheri have not uttered a single word against police lathicharge on farmers in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan."
Comparisons are on in social media whether this arrest could change the Congress fortunes as after Indira Gandhi's arrest and later in the election in 1980 the Congress returned with a thumping majority.
During the 45-minute long meeting with the Home Minister, Channi also discussed the security situation of the state and demanded that the border must be sealed properly to effectively prevent the smuggling of weapons from Pakistan.
It is the largest agricultural protest to take place in India and others from around the world have also joined in, tens of thousands of farmers have camped for months on major highways to New Delhi to oppose the three laws.
