Irom Sharmila (Iron Lady of Manipur)

Imphal/Manipur (March 11, 2010): Irom Sharmila, who has been on a fast-unto-death since November 4, 2000 demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Manipur, was rearrested on Tuesday, as she continued her fast despite being released by the court.

The Act, under which she was arrested (for attempt to commit suicide), does not permit the authorities to detain her for more than one year at one go. She was released on Monday after she completed one year of detention. As her condition without medication and nose-feeding became precarious, the police rearrested her.

“Human rights activist Irom Sharmila, jailed since 2000 for resorting to a hunger strike against alleged rights violations by the security forces in Manipur, was once again arrested by police on charges of attempted suicide. The activist continued her refusal to eat a single morsel of food. Sharmila, who earned the sobriquet Iron Lady of Manipur and is now in her 10th year of judicial custody, was arrested on Wednesday night and was sent to a prison hospital and put on a nasal drip.” says an IBNlive.in.com report.

“Sources said her condition was a cause of concern. All her organs were affected. She staggered out of J.N. Hospital, which was declared a sub-jail for her and went straight to the office of Save Sharmila Organization nearby to continue her protest.” say a report of The Hindu.

Sharmila is said to have told journalists that there was no question of her breaking the fast until the AFSPA was repealed. The misuse of its provisions resulted in people getting killed, and in excesses, she said.

Sharmila had rejected appeals from Indian Prime Ministers, Presidents and other leaders in the past to break her fast. But Sharmila stands firm on her commitments.

On November 4, 2000, some militants exploded a bomb near the airport here, as three vehicles of 8 Assam Rifles were passing by.

There was no casualty or damage to the vehicles. However, the personnel allegedly rounded up 1o persons, who were standing in the bus-stand and working in their homes nearby and all were mowed down. In protest, Sharmila launched the fast.

These special powers acts allow security forces to gun down civilians in the interests of “unity and integrity of country” in so-called “disturbed areas”. There are allegations that Indian forces grossly abuse such powers, as there is no one to check them.

The Sikh Students Federation, in statement sent to the SikhSiyasat Network, has extended its moral support for Irom Sharmila and people of Manipur who are victimized by the Indian State though enactment of these black power laws.

• Public apology from Indian Prime Minister demanded by NESO
• Campaign for Prof. Bhullar at PU Chandigarh on 4 March
• Murder Case against Dera Chief: supporters burnt trains, buses
• 1984 Victims Betrayed: Sajjan gets anticipatory bail from Delhi HC
• 1984 Genocide: Court refused bail to accomplice of Sajjan Kumar

Senior advocate HS Phoolka said: “We will move the Supreme Court against the high court order at the earliest. This is miscarriage of justice.”

Expressing anguishes on the bail, Babu Singh Dukhiya, cordinator of November 1984 Sikh Katelyam Committee, Delhi which is working in coordination with Sikhs for Justice and All India Sikh Student Federation said that there is no hope of justice left. He further stated that when the high court has granted Sajjan Kumar bail then there was no question of the trial court of not giving him bail; our all hopes are shattered now.

Attorney Gurpatwant S Pannun stated that it is very unfortunate that inspite of admitting the fact that the charges against Sajjan Kumar is of extremely grave nature, Delhi High Court granted bail to him.

Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) leader Harpal Singh Cheema said; “Indian Judicial system is biased. Killers are moving free and inoocents are being harrashed.”

• 1984 Genocide: Court refused bail to accomplice of Sajjan Kumar
• Jagdish Tytler’s Case: Court Directs CBI to Give Witnesses’ Statements to the Victim’s Advocate
• Twisting the Process of justice: PSO says Sajjan Kumar is missing
• Declare Sajjan Kumar as Absconder: Sikhs for Justice
• Fresh non-bailable arrest Warrant against Sajjan Kumar

“The bombing took place after the MNF led by the late Laldenga declared independence from India and is observed as ‘Zoram Ni’ (Mizoram Day) on this day by the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) or Mizo Students Federation.” says a PTI report.

“The Prime Minister and the Union Government must tender a public apology for what the Indian Air Force and the army did to the innocent civilians in Mizoram in 1966, chairman of the North East Students Organisation (NESO), Samujal Bhattacharyya said at a function here.

Bhattacharyya pointed out that the Prime Minister had apologised to the Sikh community on behalf of the Government in the Rajya Sabha in 2005 for launching Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984.

“If the Prime Minister, elected from the North East can apologise to his own community on the action of the army in 1984, he and the Union Government must apologise to the people of Mizoram for the atrocities committed by the Centre in 1966,” he said. Bhattacharyya rued that no words of regret from the government had come even after 44 years.

• Irom Sharmila re-arrested; sent to a prison hospital and put on a nasal drip
• Murder Case against Dera Chief: supporters burnt trains, buses
• 1984 Victims Betrayed: Sajjan gets anticipatory bail from Delhi HC
• 1984 Genocide: Court refused bail to accomplice of Sajjan Kumar
• Jagdish Tytler’s Case: Court Directs CBI to Give Witnesses’ Statements to the Victim’s Advocate

Prof. Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar

Chandigarh (March 2, 2010): To promote the cause of seeking clemency for the victims of Death Penalty the Sikh Students Federation shall conduct a signature campaign at Punjab University Chandigarh on 4^th of March, 2010. In a press statement issued by Jagdeep Singh, Joint Secretary of the organization, it is said that 139 countries around the globe have either abolished the death penalty in law or in practice. Recently Keniya has stayed the execution of about 3000 prisoners, who were awarded death penalty. India has not executed any prisoner for death penalty after 2004 and before that the last execution took place in1997. The track record shows that India is fast moving towards a state which is not in favor of death penalty. “However till India decides to do away with the death penalty, it’s essential to draw attention to the prisoners who are facing death penalty in this country which are totaling in number in relation to whom mercy petitions are pending before the President Of India.” said SSF President, Parmjeet Singh Gazi.

He further informed that this campaign is started by Lawyers for Human Rights International, an organization promoting the cause of Human Rights, and SSF is conducting the campaign in various educational institutions, and Mata Upkar Kaur, mother of Prof. Devinderpal Singh Bhullar shall attend Thusday’s Campaign at PU, Chandigarh.

Currently SSF is perusing the cases of three persons who are behind the bars since a long time and are awaiting execution; these include Prof. Devinderpal Singh Bhullar (Tihar Jail Delhi), Dharampal (Ambala Jail, Haryana) and Piara Singh (Amritsar Jail, Punjab).  “Death punishment is awarded to Bhullar, who has served about 15 years in prison, by ignoring many legal and evidentiary facts, therefore inherent flaws of the judgment forms basis for demanding clemency for Bhullar.” said PS Gazi. Similarly, prolonged detention, inhuman conditions of life in prison and health factor forms basis for demanding clemency for Piara Singh and Dharampal, he added.

• Students of Fatehgarh Sahib for clemency to Prof. Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar and five others
• Campaign against Deanth Penality received good response from Pbi Versity students
• Existence of Death Penalty in Statute Books Justify State Killings – Usha Ramanathan
• Irom Sharmila re-arrested; sent to a prison hospital and put on a nasal drip
• Bakhsish Singh is arrested by Police?

Condemning the state government for bitterly failing to rein in rioters time and again, the speakers said this was third time that hooligans had a field day in Punjab, first it was in Doaba region after Vienna shootout and second at Batala in the wake of blasphemous act against Jesus Christ.

There’s lawlessness in Punjab again and it’s because incompetent and inefficient government is in place. KAC leaders lashed out at supporters of Sirsa dera for attempting to terrorize the common man and damaging public property.

• Panth up in arms against proposed changes in the calendar
• Panthic bodies gave call to oust Badal from SGPC control
• SGPC’s performance nil, needs overhauling, says Panthic Bodies
• Edict against Dera Sauda Sirsa – Sikh bodies urge Akal Takhat to ensure implementation
• No compromise on right to demand freedom could be there – Dal Khalsa

Tension ran high in many towns in the two neighbouring states as police were put on high alert and Haryana requisitioned 1,500 para-military personnel to deal with the situation.  The protesters set afire a compartment each of the Ferozepur-Ludhiana Sutlej Express, the Narwana-Kurukshetra train and two local trains after asking the passengers to disembark, a railway spokesman said.  They also vandalised railway property at Tapa, Moga and Kalaiyat in Punjab, he said.

It is notable that deras often indulge in such a kind of violence and arson activities but still find favor of Indian state and its organs. But on the other hand since the initiation of controversy with dera sauda in 2007, the Sikhs always remained peaceful while expressing their anger; they never damaged any public property nor indulged in arson, still the State suppress them harshly.

• 1984 Victims Betrayed: Sajjan gets anticipatory bail from Delhi HC
• Jagdish Tytler’s Case: Court Directs CBI to Give Witnesses’ Statements to the Victim’s Advocate
• Twisting the Process of justice: PSO says Sajjan Kumar is missing
• CBI pulled up by Delhi Court for failing to issue notice to the complainant before filing the closure report against Sajjan Kumar
• Irom Sharmila re-arrested; sent to a prison hospital and put on a nasal drip

It is interesting to note that the family members of Jasbir Singh Jassa and Darshan Singh were already claiming that duo were picked up by the police on 13 February, 2010 at around 6 PM from their house. Police showed arrest of Jasbir Singh Jassa on intervening night of 20 and 21 February and now Darshan is claimed to have been arrested on 25^th February.

Advocate Lakhwinder Singh Kaliraun, Secretary of Sikhs For Human Rights (SFHR) condemned the practice of Punjab Police to keep persons in illegal custody.

• No Whereabouts of Darshan Singh even after 12 Days; Family prevented by police from meeting CJ at Patiala
• Bakhsish Singh is arrested by Police?
• No whereabouts of two picked up from Sangrur
• Punjab Police showed arrest of Jassa after more than a week long illegal detention
• Parminder Singh Patiala released on third day of illegal detention

Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler

Various Sikh Organizations including Sikh Students Federation, Sikhs for Human Rights, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Youth Federation and Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) have termed this move as a betrayal with victims of the massacre. “Victims of 1984 Sikh Massacre, who have survived it, are living with a ray of hope to get justice, but it seems that under current Indian system they are not going to get it.” said Parmjeet Singh Gazi, President of Sikh Students Federation.

• Jagdish Tytler’s Case: Court Directs CBI to Give Witnesses’ Statements to the Victim’s Advocate
• Twisting the Process of justice: PSO says Sajjan Kumar is missing
• CBI pulled up by Delhi Court for failing to issue notice to the complainant before filing the closure report against Sajjan Kumar
• Murder Case against Dera Chief: supporters burnt trains, buses
• 1984 Genocide: Court refused bail to accomplice of Sajjan Kumar

The rejection of the governments offer by the radical Sikh group assumes significance as names of several senior leaders of the organization including its mentor Gajinder Singh figure in black list and all of them have taken asylum in various countries including US, Europe, Canada and elsewhere since the heydays of militancy.

Countering the statement of the Home Minister that the Indian government was willing to consider rehabilitation of misguided Sikh youths in case they give up the demand for Khalistan, the party head H S Dhami and spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh minced no words in stating that silence of guns and electoral success of moderate Sikhs like Badal in Punjab does not indicate that Sikh masses have once and for all abandoned the goal of Khalistan.

Showing no sign of any weakness, the leaders took P Chidambaram to task for using the term ‘misguided’ to address those youth who joined Sikh struggle in the wake of the army assault and anti-Sikh massacre in June and Nov 1984. “They were neither misguided nor mindless. They took to arms to combat state excesses as Indian institutions failed to give justice to Sikhs”.

Posing a counter question to home minister, they said can the state deny that in a democracy the fundamental rights of citizens belong to all, including those who stand for a separate Sikh state. Will you transport all those Sikhs from Punjab to foreign land who still desire for khalistan, they asked. Citing numerous judgments of P & H High Court and apex court on this issue, they said striving for Khalistan through democratic means is neither unlawful nor against the law of the land.

They said instead of thinking in terms of rehabilitating the Khalistanis, the Indian government should focus on resolving all vexed issues that gave birth to militancy in the state in early 80’s.

They said the return of Khalistanis has never been a big issue for them. Instead, the core issue was political resolution to the Sikh conflict popularly known as Punjab Problem. If guns in Punjab have fallen silent that doesn’t mean that the Sikhs have stopped believing in the Khalistan ideology, they remarked. However, the irony of the situation was that the arrogant (Indian) state was in a denial mood.

Accusing the Indian government of double standards, they asked Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to enter into a dialogue with those Punjab groups that espouse the Sikh goal for independence on the pattern of centre holding talks with NSCN (IM) and Hurriyat Conference to resolve Naga and Kashmir dispute.

“The (Indian) state should shed it anti-Sikh attitude and mindset and allow them (read Khalistanis) to visit their native land and pay obeisance at Darbar Sahib who believes in pursuing non-violent struggle to attain their goal”.

However, they agreed with the views of Akali leadership and MP Tarlochan Singh that such persons should be allowed to return to lead normal lives who had nothing to do with the (Sikh) struggle but had fled the state because of police repression prevalent in the state at that time.

• Dal Khalsa remembered its’ founding member Bhai Gajinder Singh living in exile since 1981
• Dal Khalsa to hold debate on writings of Bhai Gajinder Singh
• Indian State is patronizing and encouraging anti-Sikh and anti-social sects and cults
• Dal khalsa wrote letter to Indian PM on constitutional and legal discriminations
• RSS preacher condemned for making anti-Sikh propaganda

Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Lokesh Kumar Sharma dismissed the plea of this accused person as “devoid of merit”. Girdhari Lal was arrested by CBI and produced before the court on February 23 following a non-bailable warrant against him.

The court had on February 17 issued the arrest warrant against Lal as he failed to appear before it on summons. Lal, along with former outer Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar and Balwan Khokhar, Mahender Yadav, Maha Singh, Capt Bhagmal, Santosh Rani, Krishna Khokhar were named as accused in the murder of five persons in Delhi Cantt during the organized violence against the Sikhs in first week of November 1984.

CBI had filed two charge-sheets on January 13 in the cases registered on the recommendation of Justice GT Nanavati commission which had inquired into the sequence of events leading to the Massacre of Sikhs in 1984. It is notable that thousands of innocent Sikhs were burnt alive and brutally murdered after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, then prime minister of India. Indira was guilty for ordering armed attack on Darbar Sahib (Amritsar), a spiritual Sikh Shrine to suppress peaceful struggle of Sikh Nation for freedom, called “Dharam Youdh Morcha”.

While commenting on recent developments Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema of SAD (Panch Pardhani) said that “We appraise those fighting for justice but Sikhs have left any hope to get justice from Indian Courts that took 25 years to issue arrest warrants against those who are responsible for killing thousands and many like Jagdish Tytler are not even charged.”

• Jagdish Tytler’s Case: Court Directs CBI to Give Witnesses’ Statements to the Victim’s Advocate
• Twisting the Process of justice: PSO says Sajjan Kumar is missing
• CBI pulled up by Delhi Court for failing to issue notice to the complainant before filing the closure report against Sajjan Kumar
• Sajjan Kumar Appeared in the Court, Gets Bail
• 1984 Victims Betrayed: Sajjan gets anticipatory bail from Delhi HC