Five Sikh organization — Dal Khalsa, SAD (A), Akali Dal Panchpardhani, United Akali Dal and Damdami Taksal Ajnala — under the banner of Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners today blocked the rail traffic for two hours demanding release of Sikh detainees.
The protest was meant to extend support to Bapu Surat Singh, who has been on an indefinite strike since January 16 seeking release of detainees who have completed their prison term.
More than 250 activists led by Manjinder Singh Jandi, Amrik Singh Ajnala, Gurdeep Singh, Jaskaran Singh kahan Singh wala, Bhai Mohkam Singh and Ranbir Singh blocked the Delhi-Amritsar rail track and staged dharna for two hours that led to delay of several trains.
Official sources said three trains — Shatabadi, Shan-e-Punjab and Flying Mail — that were approaching the Jalandhar City railway station were stopped at Jalandhar Cantt, Phagwara and Kartarpur.
The protesters sat on railway tracks in Jalandhar and raised slogan against the government and urged it to act swiftly on the matter.
Expressing disappointment over the government’s approach to deal with the issue, the Sikh leaders alleged the government was not taking up the issue seriously and was only making false promises to please the masses.
The protest passed off peacefully. However Dal khalsa activist Dr Manjinder Singh alleged that the police detained some youths at different check points preventing them to reach the protest venue. They were released after the leaders refused to end the blockade.
He said the matter of Sikh detainees had been prolonged. “It is mainly because the political as well as police leadership has nurtured hatred and grudges against these detainees, who remained part of the Sikh struggle,” he added.