As the U.S. political system endures a chaotic administration, rocked by countless scandals and betrayals at the behest of an unfit leader whose actions have affected global relations, one man’s resolve in Panjab, India brings hope in the search for humanity and compassion.
This movement is led by an 84-year-old grandfather named Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa. Since January 2015, Bapu Surat Singh has committed himself to a hunger strike to help free Sikh political prisoners. His campaign will reach 950 days in August 2017.
While Bapu Surat Singh had intended to carry out this hunger strike as a peaceful protest at home in Hassanpur, Panjab, he was quickly removed from his residence by force and kept at hospitals for more than 600 days for treatment and force-feeding.
Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa being confined at a hospital in Panjab.
It has been an incredibly grueling journey thus far for Bapu Surat Singh, as he continues his mission in the midst of physical and mental torture from authorities. With significant strides made in the release of 18 political prisoners, he vows to continue until all are released, specifically those that have completed their full sentences or can be released based on humanitarian grounds.
The issue of Sikh political prisoners received some strong political support recently, namely from Indian politician Dr. Subramanian Swamy and British politician Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi.
Dr. Swamy, a member of Indian Parliament, tweeted a letter that he had received from the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, in relation to the issue of Sikh political prisoners, on 24 July, 2017. In it, Home Minister Singh states that the matter to free political prisoners will be examined and appropriate action will be taken.
Additionally, the newly elected member of the U.K. Parliament and first turbaned Sikh MP, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, also discussed the issue of Sikh political prisoners while on his trip abroad to India. Dhesi met with the Chief Minister of Panjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, and posted on his Facebook profile the details of his conversation, which included the “possibility of freeing Sikh political prisoners whose terms have long expired.”
U.K. MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (right) meeting with Chief Minister of Panjab Captain Amarinder Singh (courtesy of Facebook)
Dhesi also addressed the issue in a Panjabi news interview, stating “Sikh political prisoners should be freed...even after 30 years, they are still in jail...they’ve spent a long time in jail, the sentences they were given have been completed...”
Captain Amarinder Singh himself has expressed these prisoners should be freed in a 2013 speech. The question remains, with the unanimous view that these Sikh political prisoners are eligible for release, and an 84-year-old’s life hangs in the balance, what is stopping the Panjab Government from doing so?
Despite the Indian and Panjab Governments’ purposefully lethargic response to Bapu Surat Singh’s hunger strike and the release of prisoners, supporters and activists around the world continue to raise awareness about the campaign.
One way will be to commemorate the upcoming 1000th day of hunger strike in October 2017, through art. A call out has been posted for individuals to submit work (in any artistic medium) by 13 September, 2017.
The work can be sent to freesikhpoliticalprisoners@gmail.com and it will be used online and in future #Art4Justice exhibitions.
send work to freesikhpoliticalprisoners@gmail.com by 13 September, 2017
Other ongoing awareness campaigns include:
1) Donate blood and post your donation photo on social media #SikhBlood
2. You can participate in the email campaign by going to www.freesikhprisoners.com, filling in your information, and an email will be sent on your behalf to the Government of Panjab, urging them to release the Sikh political prisoners.
3. Organize an #Art4Justice exhibition in your local gurdwara sahib or city. Volunteers can send the digital work via email and it can be printed out and displayed at any location. Please contact freesikhpoliticalprisoners@gmail.com for more information.
4. Submit Chaupai Sahibs in the One Million Chaupai Sahib Jaap for the chardi kala of the Panth
5. Continue to tweet and post about the hunger strike on social media: a) Twitter b) Facebook c) Instagram
Have any ideas you would like to share to help raise awareness? Email: freesikhpoliticalprisoners@gmail.com