Amritsar, August 13
At a time when India celebrates the 75th anniversary of Independence, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), along with local SAD leaders, is in protest mode across Punjab and parts of Haryana against the non-release of Sikh political prisoners lodged in different Indian jails for three decades who have completed their sentence.
They handed over letters in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the offices of Deputy Commissioner for release of ‘Bandi Singhs’.
In Amritsar, SGPC members and employees, led by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, gathered at a plaza outside the Golden Temple and marched to the DC office. On behalf of Amritsar DC, SDM Harpreet Singh took the memorandum and assured to forward it to the government.
Dhami said despite written communications of appointment with the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Chief Ministers of states concerned, no response has been received.
The SGPC president alleged that on the one hand, the country is celebrating the 75th anniversary of independence, while on the other, Sikhs are being made to feel like second-grade citizens.
“Keeping the Sikh prisoners deprived of their human rights is a sheer violation of the Constitution. The Sikh prisoners have served sentences double than life imprisonment. They have a right to be released,” he said.
He said this protest was symbolic and if the governments did not act, the struggle would be intensified.