New Delhi, India (May 15, 2013): Bibi NirpreetKaur, a witness against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar who sat on a fast at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for six days to protest against Sajjan’s acquittal by a Delhi court, has written a very strong worded letter to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh. In this letter Bibi Nirprit Kaur has criticized Giani Gurbachan Singh for forcing her to end her fast with his “directive” without any results and rather doing what the union government wanted — to get the hunger strike ended in view of building public pressure and embarrassment caused by it.
Bibi Nirpreet Kaur ends fast [May 08, 2013]
While Akal Takht Jathedar had claimed that Sikh maryada did not sanction fasts, Nirpreet has recalled hunger strikes by senior Akali leaders including one by current Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Majit Singh GK’s father, late Jathedar Santokh Singh who drive home the point that hunger strikes had been a tool which was even used by revered spiritualist and freedom fighter Bhai Randhir Singh.
In the letter written in Punjab Bibi Nirpreet Kaur has even asked the Jathedar to reveal that who else was involved in the conspiracy to end her fast without achieving any results that too when union government was facing pressure and was desperate for getting the hunger strike ended.
She alleged that neither she nor any other activists who were instrumental in organizing the hunger strike were consulted by the Jathedar and none was even hinted about it. “Jathedar suddenly announced that fast was against Sikh maryada and directed her to end it and offered her a glass of juice.
Notably when all this happened Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and Dy CM Sukhbir badal were also present apart from other senior Akali leaders and DSGMC leadership.
Bibi Nirpreet Kaur has clarified in the letter that while it was Aam Admi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal who joined her on the first day of the fast DSGMC later supported and then other organizations also started extending support and what started as a small effort soon became a big movement with Sikhs in other parts of the country also holding protesting much to the uncomfort of the union government.
She has asked the Jathedar that if he could not be part of the struggle by the Sikhs to get justice he should not sabotage such struggles by invoking the authority of his post.
“I think you did not come there to help Sikhs to get justice but to show to the (union) government that you were with them while leaving the victims in the lurch,” Bibi Nirpreet Kaur wrote in the letter.
She recalled that it was not fort the first time that Sikhs were resorting to hunger strike even Darshan Singh Pheruman resorted to the same and sacrificed his life for the sake of Punjabi Suba and late Jathedar Santokh Singh sat on hunger strike when Baba Virsa Singh took possession of gurudwara Sees Ganj.
A copy of Press Note by Bibi Nirpreet Kaur (in Punjabi/Gurmukhi):