New Delhi: The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) led by Manjit Singh G.K. yesterday held Ardas outside Gate No. 3 of Tihar Jail in Delhi. The Ardas was held on the event of Bandi Chhor Dihara, which is marked by the Sikhs worldover in the memory of release of Guru Harbind Ji from Gawalior fort. The Guru Sahib had also got freed 52 Hindu rajas.
A release issued by the DSGMC in Hindi language (copy available with the Sikh Siyasat News) states that the Ardas was held in front of Gate No. 3 of Tihar Jail seeking the release of Sikh political prisoners who have completed minimum mandatory terms of their sentences. DSGMC chief Manjit Singh G.K. said that the Ardas was addressed to Guru Hargobind Ji to get released the concerned Sikh political prisoners.
The DSGMC and Manjit Singh G.K., however, termed the days of Sikh armed struggle as ‘black days’. The term is often used by pro-Indian state propagandists, authors and journalists while referring to the day of Sikh political struggle of 1980s-90s against the oppression of the Indian state.
Excerpts from DSGMC statement reads as follows:
“पंजाब के काले दौर के दौरान जूझने वाले सिख योद्धो की जेलों से रिहाई करवाने के लिए दिल्ली की तिहाड़ जेल के बाहर दिल्ली सिख गुरद्वारा प्रबंधक कमेटी द्वारा ‘बंदी छोड़ दाता’ गुरु हरगोबिंद साहिब के चरणों में अरदास की गई।” (DSGMC payed on the Daata Bandi Chhor, Guru Hargobind Sahib in front of Tihar Jail in Delhi to get released Sikh warriors who had faught durign ‘Dark times’ in Punjab).
“जी.के. ने बताया की काले दौर के दौरान हथियार उठाने वाले या ना उठाने वाले सभी सिख आज दो दशक जेल में बंद रहने के बावजूद सुप्रीम कोर्ट के एक निर्णय की वजह से जेल से बाहर नहीं आ पा रहे है। यह देश की कार्यपालिका और न्यायपालिका के लिए चिंतन और मंथन का विषय है, की आखिर अपनी सजा पूरी करने के बावजूद इन सिख कैदियों के मानवधिकारों की बात किसे कब और कैसे याद आएगी?” (G.K. informed that due to a judgement of the Supreme Court Sikhs, who had picked up, or not, up the arms during dark times of Punjab are confined in jails even after two decades. Its and issue of deliberation for the executive and judiciary of the country that when and how it could consider the human rights of Sikh prisoners who have confined event after having completed their jail terms.