As his fast-unto-death demanding release of six former militants who have served their jail terms completes a month, Sikh protestor Gurbaksh Singh (46) has become the rallying point for radicals in the state. Though the Akali leaders have stayed away so far, the cause has found much support among radical and religious groups in the state and the SAD-BJP government finds itself on the back foot.
Singh began fasting on November 14 at Amb Sahib Gurdwara in Mohali seeking release of six former militants, including Lakhvinder Singh, Shamsher Singh and Gurmit Singh, who received life terms in 1995 for their involvement in the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. The other three are Lal Singh, Warayam Singh and Gurdeep Singh, who were convicted for life under TADA. All six have completed their sentences.
On December 4, Singh’s supporters carried out a 250-km rally from the Golden Temple in Amritsar to Amb Sahib Gurdwara in Mohali, passing through Kartarpur, Phagwara, Ludhiana, Samrala and Morinda. After midnight on December 6, Singh was picked by the Punjab Police and sent to Ropar Jail. The next morning he was admitted to a hospital. However, on December 9 all charges against him were withdrawn and he was released.
Singh’s indefinite fast and his subsequent arrest have brought Sikh hardliners into the limelight again in Punjab. Posters quoting former militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Paramjit Singh Bheora, also convicted in Beant Singh’s assassination, are on display at the protest venue. Singh has received support from several Sikh organisations in India and abroad like, Sikhs for Justice, Dal Khalsa, Damdami Takshal, Panch Pardhani, All India Sikh Students Federation besides others. Singh is also seeking release of 118 Sikh detainees in various jails, many of whom have completed their terms. This includes 94-year-old Dr Assa Singh, who is lodged in Hoshiarpur Jail. Two prisoners, Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar and Balwant Singh Rajowana, have received death penalty. Sixteen have been given life sentences and the remaining 100 have been either received 7 to 10 years imprisonment or are still under trials.
Of the 118 such prisoners, 55 are lodged in the high security Nabha Jail, eight in district jail of Nabha, 13 in Amritsar Central Jail, 12 of them in Modern Jail (Kapurthala), five in Patiala Central Jail, three in Modern Burail Jail of Chandigarh and two in Ludhiana Central Jail.
Some of these 118 prisoners are lodged in jails of other states, including Delhi, Jammu, UP, Karn ataka and Rajasthan. Many of them are suffering from neurological disorders, poor eyesight and other ailments.
Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said, “In the most arbitrary manner, the government refuses to release prisoners who have surpassed their prison terms. This discriminatory practice prevails not only in Punjab but in Kashmir and the North East too. Nelson Mandela suffered at the hands of the “white leadership”, but did not show any bitterness once he was released. However, Indian state continues to follow a policy of hatred and vendetta towards the Sikhs and other nationalities including the Kashmiris.”
DS Bains, the Principal Secretary (Home), Punjab, and SS Saini, Director General of Police, Punjab, were not available for comments.