BJP leader Jagmohan Singh Raju writes to PM Narendra Modi for release of Sikh prisoners
On the 41st anniversary of Operation Bluestar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state general secretary and former IAS officer Jagmohan Singh Raju wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to release Sikh prisoners on humanitarian grounds.
Sharing the letter on his Facebook page, Raju said, 'Release Sikh prisoners on humanitarian grounds – put final lid on the Dark Era of 1980s in Punjab (sic).'
In the letter penned in Hindi, he wrote: 'Today, June 6, is the day of pain and anger for the Sikh Panth. On this day in 1984, as you uttered in the Parliament, an attack was launched on the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, Akal Takht. You are the first Prime Minister who officially recognised this as an attack on the Akal Takht. Even Sikh PM Manmohan Singh did not have courage to accept this reality.'
'The attack on Akal Takht wounded the Sikh psyche and pride permanently. Due to lack of mature leadership needed to pacify hurt sentiments of Panth, Sikh youths opted for insurgency against this oppression. In revenge, Indira Gandhi, the then PM, was assassinated, followed by Sikh massacre in Delhi…This bloody era eliminated a generation of Sikh youths,' read the letter.
'Modi ji, I humbly request you to reconsider the release of Sikh prisoners on grounds of justice and compassion. They committed the crime because they were enraged over the attack on Golden Temple. They have served the adequate punishment for their offences. Time has come now to show compassion for them,' he wrote
Raju unsuccessfully contested the 2022 assembly elections on a BJP ticket from Amritsar East.
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