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Executive meeting: SGPC to give monthly aid of ₹20k to nine Sikh prisoners
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday decided to give ₹20,000 per month to nine Sikh prisoners serving long sentences in different jails of the country.
AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday decided to give ₹20,000 per month to nine Sikh prisoners serving long sentences in different jails of the country.
It was also decided to take up the issue of the non-release of Sikh prisoners, despite the completion of their jail terms, with the United Nations (UN) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Speaking to the media after the meeting of the executive committee in Amritsar on Friday, the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the government’s “injustice” towards the Sikhs, who have served jail terms, is a violation of human rights.
“The issue will now be raised at the international platforms, and the committee has also decided to give monthly honorarium of ₹20,000 to nine Sikh prisoners, who have served long sentences and legal assistance as required,” Dhami said.
The nine Sikh prisoners include Gurdeep Singh Khera, Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, Balwant Singh Rajoana, Jagtar Singh Hawara, Jagtar Singh Tara, Lakhwinder Singh Lakha, Gurmeet Singh, Shamsher Singh and Paramjit Singh Bheora. He said among them, Rajoana is already receiving this aid.
Dhami said that since 1984, the SGPC has firmly stood with the Sikh prisoners and is committed to continuing to do so in future too. “The signature campaign started by the SGPC for the release of Sikh prisoners will be intensified,” he said.
He said the committee has also decided to file a writ petition in the court against the parole given to Sirsa-based dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is convicted of murders and rapes. “Inviting Ram Rahim, who is a criminal on parole, as a state guest by the Haryana government is a big insult to the judiciary and at the same time giving him repeated paroles and waiving the sentence of 90 days is not acceptable in the civilised society,” Dhami said.
He said that the court proceedings against Ram Rahim in sacrilege cases are in court, so the “possibility of him coming out and affecting these sensitive cases cannot be ruled out”. “The SGPC will file a writ petition in the high court on this serious matter and if necessary, will also approach Supreme Court,” he said.
Dhami said that the portrait of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh Nabha and Baba Chanda Singh Kattu Wale will be displayed at Central Sikh Museum.
Int’l Sikh advisory board formed
The SGPC has also constituted a 13-member International Sikh Advisory Board, with a scope of adding more members from other countries in future. The constitution of this board was made in today’s SGPC meeting. Dhami said that presently Sikh community is spread all over the world, and this advisory board will work on Sikh issues at the global level.
