AMRITSAR: Upset over indifferent and insensitive behavior shown by the Government of India and its deaf silence in redressing the prisoners issue, the Sikhs across the globe has stepped up theirs efforts to press upon the New Delhi to repeal death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana and release all nine Sikh prisoner's, who have served more than twenty years in prison.
To highlight the plight and present status of these prisoner’s, who have been languishing in various jails since mid 90’s, the Sikh organization’s today took out at a march in favor of Prof Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, Jagtar Singh Hawara, Jagtar Singh Tara, Balwant Singh Rajoana, Gurmeet Singh, Lakhwinder Singh and Shamsher Singh, Gurdeep Singh and Paramjit Singh.
While Rajoana is on death row, rest of them have been sentenced to life imprisonment in militancy related cases.
The marchers were holding big banners carrying photos of all detainees and slogans were written on it asking the Govt to stop injustices with Sikh prisoner’s and seeking their release. They raised slogans in favor of detainees.
Calling them political prisoner’s , the organizers of the event said they have been in jail for community’s cause as all of them had no personal enmity with the deceased.
The organizations that participated in today’s event includes Dal Khalsa, Sikh Youth of Punjab, AISSF and Sikh Youth Federation Bhindrawale. The activists performed at Akal Takhat for their well being. The five youngsters led by Jugraj Singh, who unfurl Sikh Flag at Red Fort on Jan 26 also took part in the event.
Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh alleged that Indian laws regarding release of indeterminate sentence prisoners are open to interpretation and prevarication of the executive.
The continued detention of 9 prisoners not only violates the principle of equality but is also a clear violation of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
Technically speaking, none of the cases are sub-judice and as such it was only the executive which has to take a final decision in the matter, state’s the Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjpur.
The common feeling among demonstrators was that the “Indian State was following a policy of hatred and vendetta against Sikh prisoners ”.
Youth leaders Paramjit Singh Mand and Kanwar Charath Singh stated that the successive governments in Punjab continues to pay lip service and express sympathy without waking up from deep slumber. It was a classic case of lethargic executive insomnia and nonchalance, they added.
The organizers of today’s event asked the Union Home Ministry, Punjab and Delhi’s AAP Govt to initiate steps to release these prisoners on humanitarian grounds –a practice which is otherwise followed regularly but easily forgotten on political grounds.