Ludhiana/ Amritsar: Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar along with Akal Takhat Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh met Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa at DMC Hospital in Ludhiana.
As per media reports Avtar Singh Makkar and Giani Gurbachan Singh, who were accompanied by Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) chief Paramjit Singh Khalsa and Takhat Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Mal Singh, advised Surat Singh Khalsa to end his fast saying that it was difficult to secure release of Sikh political prisoners in changed scenario in wake of Monday’s terror strike in Dinanagar, Gurdaspur.
“After shocking incident of Dinanagar, the release of Sikh political prisoners seems difficult now”said Avtar Singh Makkar.
“The Supreme Court of India has put many conditions on premature release of life term convicts and we tried to convince ‘Bapuji’ to end his hunger strike” said Makkar, adding that “[b]ut he refused to agree to our request. Hence we can only urge state and centre government to speed up their efforts”.
This is the first time that Akal Takhat Jathedar and SGPC president came to meet Bapu Surat Singh.
A news reported by the Indian Express (IE) quotes Kanwarpal Singh, spokesperson of Dal Khalsa saying that the Punjab police had already given a cold shoulder to the issue of release of Sikh political prisoner.
“After Gurdaspur attack, it will be once again a difficult task” he said. He emphasised that the Dinanagar episode has no link with the demand of release of Sikh political prisoners, but feared that the Punjab police will get an easy excuse now.