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SGPC launches signature campaign to seek release of Sikh prisoners
People from all over the world will participate in the SGPC’s signature campaign through online medium, says SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday launched a large-scale signature campaign for release of ‘Bandi Singhs’ (Sikh prisoners).
As a part of the campaign, centres have been set up at 25 gurdwaras of Punjab and Haryana, including the Golden Temple, Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, and Takht Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, where process of filling proforma was started.
In Amritsar, the campaign was launched from the centre near Guru Ramdas Ji Niwas (inn) at the Golden Temple by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami after ardas (Sikh prayer).
Dhami said the release of Sikh prisoners, who have completed their sentences, was an important issue of the Sikh community, for which the signature campaign to create a mass movement will prove to be decisive.
He said the SGPC has been raising its voice for the release of Sikh prisoners for a long time and made efforts at all levels along with providing legal remedies.
“The negative attitude adopted by the governments in this regard is an injustice to the Sikh community. Despite great sacrifices made by the Sikh community for the country, they have to struggle for their rights. Biased policy of the governments in the case of Sikh prisoners is clearly visible and they are not being released in deliberate violation of human rights,” the SGPC chief said.
Dhami said in the next few days, the campaign will be taken to different states of India through SGPC’s missions. He said though it was decided to start it as a nationwide campaign, as per sentiments of the sangat, it will now be taken across the world via digital mediums. He also said the proformas to be filled under the signature campaign will also be printed in Hindi and English languages so that people from other states can understand this cause closely and participate in it. He said a special online Google form has been prepared to connect people from abroad.
Dhami also announced a committee of legal experts for the release of Sikh prisoners. The four-member panel will comprise senior lawyers Puran Singh Hundal, Paramjit Singh Thiara, Baldev Singh Dhillon and Bhagwant Singh Sialka. He said there will be options to include other eminent lawyers to this panel as well.
