Amritsar, August 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has extended full support to the protest march being organised by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha on August 15 to seek the release of Sikh prisoners who have spent prolonged periods in jail.
The march is scheduled to proceed from the Morcha site to the Governor’s House. Dhami said the demand concerned Sikh prisoners who had spent a substantial part of their lives behind bars and deserved justice.
Raising questions over the continued incarceration of prisoners who, according to him, have served terms far exceeding their prescribed sentences, Dhami said the government must explain why they were being treated differently.
He specifically referred to Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara, Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara, Bhai Paramjit Singh Bheora, Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar and Bhai Gurdeep Singh Khera, among others, saying several had spent long periods in prison.
Dhami also raised the issue of Rajoana’s sentence commutation, saying that despite observations by the Supreme Court, the government had not taken a decision on the matter.
On Jagtar Singh Hawara, Dhami said his elderly mother was in serious health condition and that parole had been sought for him on humanitarian grounds. He said the bond between a mother and son was sacred and argued that imposing conditions that limited an ailing mother to only a one-day meeting with her son was not appropriate.
He urged the government to take a compassionate decision, keeping in view humanitarian considerations and the sentiments of the Sikh community, so that Hawara could meet his mother after a prolonged separation.
Dhami said the SGPC had consistently worked on issues concerning Sikh prisoners and would continue to discharge its responsibility. He added that SGPC members and officials had also participated in an earlier meeting and assured the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha of their support.
Calling the Sikh prisoners “national assets”, Dhami said they and their families had endured decades of separation and suffering. He maintained that their cases should be examined not only from a legal perspective but also with due consideration to humanitarian and constitutional aspects.
Dhami appealed to the Sikh community to support the peaceful and constitutional struggle for the release of the prisoners. He reiterated that the SGPC would continue its own efforts in this regard.
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