PATIALA, Punjab(KP)—Following the arrest of Baba Balbir Singh from LammaJat Pura, Singhs lodged in the Nabha based high security jail have written a letter addressed to Giani Gurbachan Singh, appointed Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The letter expressed grief over a lack of interest shown by Giani Gurbachan Singh over the imprisonment of Sikh political prisoners recently. The letter states that the Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar must look over all aspects of the Sikh religion—which includes safeguarding and fair trial of Sikh prisoners.
According to the letter penned by the grandson of Giani Gurbachan Singh Khalsa Bhindrawale, Bhai Amolak Singh Akara writes that for the Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar to remain silent over the arrest of innocent Singhs is very disturbing. He writes that along with innocent Sikhs, saintly personalities of the Sikh religion had been wrongfully arrested and detained by the Punjab Police, yet no action has been taken by the most supreme authority of the Sikhs.
Bhai Amolak Singh writes that the imprisoned Singhs saw some hope after Giani Gurbachan Singh passed a sandesh asking the Punjab Government to release the Sikh political prisoners who have been lodged in Punjab’s jails for years. This sandesh was passed on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Operation Blue Star which was remembered at a large scale by Panthic Organizations. The sandesh, however, seemed to hold no affect whatsoever over the Punjab Government as the matter was not taken forward.
Bhai Amolak Singh writes that following the passing of the sandesh, he had personally thanked the Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar in a letter. He revisits his previous correspondence in which he had requested Giani Gurbachan Singh, appointed Jathedar, to confirm that the sandesh doesn’t solely remain a sandesh penned down on paper and that the matter actually gets heard by the appropriate authorities.
The writer further expresses grief over the arrest of Baba Balbir Singh Ji, who was arrested along with other Singhs in a very suspicious manner. Bhai Amolak Singh expresses that the arrest of Baba Balbir Singh made him fully confirm that the current Jathedar’s sandesh held no standing in front of the Punjab Government.
The letter by Bhai Amolak Singh Akhara also sheds light on the true reason behind the arrest of Baba Balbir Singh. Bhai Amolak Singh writes that during his personal meeting with Baba Balbir Singh at the jail, he learned that the charges being leveled on Baba Balbir Singh were fabricated and the illegal arms and weapons had been wrongfully planted.
Bhai Amolak Singh concludes his letter stating that the Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar should recognize his duty for Singhs who had been falsely implicated in various criminal cases. In addition, the Singhs who have continued the struggle for freedom also needed to be looked after by the Akal Takht Sahib. Without the Akal Takht Sahib, the imprisoned Singhs had no one to appeal to.