Hardeep Singh 

A nonagenarian Sikh activist Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa left for the heavenly world on Wednesday while demanding release of Sikh political prisoners who, despite completing their imprisonments, have been languishing in different jails of India for decades, and upholding his commitment. His prolonged hunger strike gave new direction to the Sikh struggle for their political prisoners. 

A beacon of justice, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa breathed his last in the United States (US) where he was staying with his daughter. He sacrificed and dedicated his life to the cause of Sikh political prisoners including Prof. Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, Jagtar Singh Hawara, Jagtar Singh Tara, Paramjit Singh Bheora, Gurdeep Singh Khera and Balwant Singh Rajoana. All these prisoners are being punished and forced to live in hell like conditions in the prisoners for playing their unforgettable role in the Sikh freedom struggle. 

Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa, a beacon of justice, passed away today. Starting his hunger strike in 2015 at age 83, he sacrificed his life demanding justice for Sikh political prisoners. He fought for their recognition as political prisoners and the release of those who completed their sentences.

At the age of 82 years, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa had begun a hunger strike seeking the release of political Sikh prisoners on January 16, 2015. While undertaking the strike, he had shown utmost commitment to the cause and fearlessness. This strike lasted for more than five years.

During thousands of days of his struggle, the Indian state used almost every tactic of physical and mental torture on Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa to force him to end his peaceful protest. However, due to his steadfast resolve, the Indian Government did not succeed in its motives.

After failing in its tactics, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa was detained and forcibly kept as admitted in the DMC Hospital of Ludhiana where he was force-fed through nasal tubes against his wish. However, he continued to raise voice against the unjust imprisonment of all political prisoners. 

In his diary which was published by Sikh news portal Sikh24.com on January 16, 2016, young Sikh thinker Pritpal Singh described how Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa was detained by the Police. 

He writes, “Frightening from Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa’s struggle, the Punjab government abducted Bapu Ji from his home towards the end of February.  His son Bhai Ravinder Jeet Singh Gogi was also thrown in jail by framing him under charges 107/151 of Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr. P.C). It was the time when several members of the Bandi Singhs Rihai Sangharsh Committee were put behind bars as well. On one side, Bapu Ji was being brutally tortured by the Administration in Civil Hospital of Ludhiana and on the other side all those visiting Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa were being indicted in fake cases”.

“Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa has been a strong supporter of prisoner rights and spent time with Bhai Gurbaksh Singh during the Amb Sahib morcha.  As per Bapu Surat Singh’s earlier statement, during the Amb Sahib morcha, he had given his word to the sangat that if anything was to happen to Bhai Gurbaksh Singh, he would continue the struggle”, he writes further.

Throughout his life, he remained vocal against Government injustices to the people of Punjab, especially Sikhs. His struggle had witnessed an unprecedented mass support during the first half of 2015 which ultimately caused release of Sikh prisoners Prof. Devender Pal Singh Bhullar and Gurdeep Singh Khera on parole.

During his struggle, he suffered a tragedy in his family as his son-in-law Satwinder Singh Bhola who was also contributing in the Sikh struggle a lot, was assassinated in the US in August, 2015. It was not only his personal loss, but also a great loss to the Sikh community. Satwinder Singh Bhola was like his right arm in the struggle for Sikh prisoners. So, his passing away was a big jolt to the struggle. 

Indian agencies were accused by the Sikhs of orchestrating this assassinating to sledgehammer his struggle. 

However, this tragedy could not shake this fasting old man. He did not lose heart and showed resilience, patience, and courage in carrying forward his struggle instead. His family fully cooperated and supported him in this fight. It remained committed to serving their old aged father. 

An attempt was also made to hijack Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa’s struggle through a Congress backed agitation in 2018 but all this got exposed with time and Sikh community again found its octogenarian general standing intact on his stance.

Khalsa endured the physical and mental torture continuously for the period of struggle, but he remained adamant on his stance to take up this struggle to a logical conclusion with the release of all political Sikh prisoners who have completed necessary conditions of their life terms.

Though Khalsa came to limelight by sitting on hunger strike, he had taken part in the Sikh struggle throughout his life. He is seen with great Sikh martyr of 20th century Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Shaheed Jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke and other struggling Sikh figures in the pictures available with some Sikh activists. 

Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise. 

Terming his demise as a big loss to the community, Dhami said Khalsa dedicated his life to the cause of Sikh prisoners and fought the struggle for them with utmost commitment, while Giani Raghbir Singh said Khalsa would be part of the Sikh memories forever for his unparalleled contribution to the struggle for Sikh prisoners who are languishing in different jails for decades and being deprived of premature release.