Detainees’ kin end hunger strike

Amritsar, March 18

Complying with the Akal Takht’s directions, the kin of Dibrugarh detainees, including Amritpal Singh’s mother Balwinder Kaur, ended the 25-day long hunger agitation after taking ‘karah parshad’ from the Golden Temple.

However, the kin say that they would continue sit in at Heritage Street near the Golden Temple.

Balwinder Kaur said that Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh would also send five Gursikhs to Dibrugarh jail to convince the detainees to end their hunger strike too.

Reports had surfaced that Amritpal Singh and nine others, charged under the National Security Act (NSA) at Dibrugarh Central Jail have been observing hunger strike from February 16 accusing jail authorities of infringing their privacy by installing surveillance cameras in their barracks and bathrooms without their knowledge.

“Abiding by the Akal Takht Jathedar’s directions, it was decided to end the hunger strike. But our protest would continue till Akal Takht give us further directions”, she said.

Keeping in view their deteriorating health, the Akal Takht and the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had asked the protesting family members to end the hunger strike as it never commensurate with the Sikh maryada and assured to assist them in taking the legal course to meet their demands.

‘Hunger strike against maryada’

“Abiding by the Akal Takht Jathedar’s directions, it was decided to end the hunger strike. But our protest would continue till Akal Takht give us further directions”, Amritpal’s mother Balwinder Kaur said. Keeping in view their deteriorating health, the Akal Takht and the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had asked the protestors to end the hunger strike as it never commensurate with the Sikh maryada and assured to assist them in taking the legal course to meet their demands.