Committee on Sikh political prisoners seeks meeting with PM Modi, Amit Shah

GS Paul
Amritsar, May 24

Amid “differences”, the joint action committee (JAC) on the release of Sikh political prisoners has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister of Delhi and Karnataka.

A list of 22 Sikh prisoners languishing in jails of various states has been prepared. The list also mentions the details of their sentence status.

Meanwhile, there are murmurs against the inclusion of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal in the 11-member JAC, constituted under the SGPC as per the directions of Akal Takht.

Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) president Baljit Singh Daduwal, who is part of the JAC, was the first to raise objection. He feared that the “joint efforts” in the name of the Panthic cause could be “derailed” by the Badals for their political gains.

Harmeet Singh Kalka, DSGMC chief, has echoed Daduwal’s opinion.

JAC member Manjit Singh GK said: “Both endorsed every decision of the JAC, but later raised objections.”

Meanwhile, at the May 11 meeting, SAD (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann equated his party’s demand for a separate Sikh state with that of an SGPC’s 1946 resolution.

In a video clip of Mann’s address, he urged the leaders present at the meeting to revive the resolution and indicate their consent with the wink of an eye.