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Punjab: SAD (Punar Surjit) writes to Centre, seeks Hawara’s parole
In a letter, SAD (Punar Surjit) president and former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh urged the home ministry to facilitate “appropriate relief” for the prisoners, describing the issue as a long-standing concern of the Sikh community
Two days after Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann urged governor Gulab Chand Kataria to grant 10-day parole to Jagtar Singh Hawara on humanitarian grounds, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) on Monday wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah, seeking the Centre’s intervention for expeditious action on Hawara’s parole and similar relief for other Bandi (jailed) Singhs.
In a letter, SAD (Punar Surjit) president and former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh urged the home ministry to facilitate “appropriate relief” for the prisoners, describing the issue as a long-standing concern of the Sikh community.
The development comes amid renewed political focus on the release of Sikh prisoners ahead of the 2027 Punjab assembly elections. Mann had written to the governor on August 8, seeking 10-day parole for Hawara so that he could tend to his aged and ailing mother. The CM’s intervention came a day after his meeting with the governor.
It comes against the backdrop of growing mobilisation by Panthic organisations. The Qaumi Insaf Morcha has announced a gherao of the governor’s residence on August 15, demanding the release of Bandi Singhs.
Youth wing targets SAD
Youth Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) president Gurjit Singh Talwandi has said the Sukhbir Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) failed to raise key Punjab-centric issues during his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a press conference, Talwandi said, “The meeting with the PM presented an opportunity to raise long-pending issues concerning Punjab’s river waters, Chandigarh and the release of Bandi Singhs, but these issues were not taken up.”
Meanwhile, Malkit Singh Hundal, who recently resigned as general secretary of the youth wing of Badal-led Akali Dal, joined SAD (Punar Surjit).
