SGPC chief Makkar urges Centre to release Sikh prisoners

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has been repeatedly urging the Union government for the immediate release of Sikh prisoners who are languishing in different jails of the country even though they have served their term, said SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has been repeatedly urging the Union government for the immediate release of Sikh prisoners who are languishing in different jails of the country even though they have served their term, said SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.

Inaugurating an event at Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College in Fatehgarh Sahib on Wednesday, Makkar urged the Centre to take a decision to release the Sikh detainees.

Speaking on the occasion, Makkar said Sikh activist Surat Singh Khalsa's hunger strike was a serious issue and the SGPC was trying its best to convince him to end fast.

He said during the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's regime, the SGPC had urged the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to secure the release of Sikh prisoners. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been urged to take a decision in this regard. The SGPC would also ask the state government to take up the matter with the Union government.