Will not end fast till all detainees let off: Khalsa

Amritsar, Punjab: After partially winning his battle against the detention of Sikh prisoners, Sikh activist Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, reached the Golden Temple this evening to pay obeisance. Six persons convicted in former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassination case in 1995 were released recently.

He was accompanied by Lal Singh, who was detained in the same case was released on six weeks parole recently. Three committee members – RP Singh of Akhand Kirtani Jatha, advocate Harpal Cheema and Satnam Singh of Paunta Sahib along with a large number of people accompanied Khalsa.

Even as Gurmeet Singh and Lal Singh have been released on parole, the issue of six Sikh convicts, languishing in jails despite completing their sentences, has not died down.

Lakhwinder Singh and Shamsher Singh who have been lodged in Burail jail at Chandigarh after they were sentenced to life term in the same case, have still not been released. The others, who have not been released, are Waryam Singh, lodged in an Uttar Pradesh jail in a different case and Gurdeep Singh, in a Karnataka jail in a TADA case. Upon reaching the Golden Temple, Khalsa, who did not appear in good health, did not end his fast. He has come to participate in the bhog ceremony of the akhand path to be held tomorrow. It is being performed in the wake of the issue. “I am here only to take part in the bhog ceremony of the akhand path. I will not eat anything till all the six detainees are free,” he said softly.

Giani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht, said he had urged Khalsa to end his fast as one of the Burail jail detainees was expected to be released tomorrow.

Hails Congress for support:

Earlier in Mohali, Khalsa had announced that he would end his fast at Golden Temple as soon as any third Sikh detainee reached there after coming out of jail. Khalsa also hailed the Congress, especially the family of Beant Singh, for supporting him in the release of Sikh detainees. “I am thankful to the Congress and members of Beant Singh’s family for supporting my protest,” he said Khalsa. He added that he would likely to go to his home on December 28 to take some rest and then again start his struggle to set free all the detainees.

Source: The Tribune