Detained NRI Khalsa freed as daughter meets President

Ludhiana/Amritsar, Surat Singh Khalsa, an NRI who was being force-fed through his nose for the past around two months at the Civil Hospital here, was released from preventive custody this evening.
The 80-year-old, who has been without food since January 16 and was being force-fed since February 27, has been seeking the release of 82 Sikh detainees languishing in various jails of the country despite the completion of their sentence.
Khalsa was reportedly discharged from the hospital a few hours after his daughter Sarvinder Kaur met President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi today.
“We had met the President and bought the matter of human right violations by the police to his notice. While we were returning to Ludhiana, we were told that the police have freed my father and he has been discharged from the hospital. I do not know whether my brother has been released from the hospital or not,” said Sarvinder.
Sources said Commissioner of Police Parmod Ban visited the hospital prior to Khalsa’s release.
Sarvinder Kaur was part of a five-member delegation of Sikh bodies comprising representatives of the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners. The delegation was led by Gurdeep Singh Bathinda, United Akali Dal leader, and comprised Dr Bhagwan Singh, United Akali Dal chairman; Jaswant Singh Mann, SAD (Amritsar) secretary general; and Swaran Singh, former IAS. They met the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan for 15 minutes.
Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh said the delegation submitted a memorandum to the highest constitutional authority, informing him about Surat Singh. “The federal rights of states to release political prisoners and the fundamental universal right of political prisoners to be released in reasonable time awaits your attention,” read the memorandum.
“It is ironic that Surat Singh who has sought release of political prisoners is now himself a prisoner,” he said.
The delegation urged the President to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept “just” demands of the Sikhs. The delegation also complained about the “indifferent and negative approach” of Punjab government towards Surat Singh and his family members. “His son Ravinderjit Singh, who has come from the US to lend his moral support to his father, has also been detained since February 27 for no fault of his. He was assaulted by the police at Ludhiana court premises on April 13 during the court hearing,” they charged.