Daljeet Singh Bittu arrested on 20/9/2012

[Singh, Mahan]

We have attrocities going on against Sikhs on a frequent basis and organisations that would have straight away come out and condemened such actions are staying quiet as they are being controlled by Indian political organisations. Many have siad the only reason why these attrocities keep happening is that the Sikhs instead of thinking about the Panth are sorting out their own deals, whether its political, financial or both.

No arrests , shooting dead of youth, appointment of mass killers of Sikhs would take place if all the Jathebandhis came out and denounced what is happening.

.............. ................

........................

I agree with you. That is the biggest issue facing Sikhs. It must be resolved before they can make any progress to protect themselves from the tyranny . The problem emanates from the very narrow thinking of the leaders who will sell the interest of the community for small personal gains in politics or financial

[Singh, Mahan]

Source: http://www.sikhsiyas...itical-dissent/

India’s NIA attempting to link political activists with BKI to crush political dissent?

By Parmjit Singh Published: September 29, 2012

Ludhiana/Patiala, Punjab (September 29, 2012): According to media reports, the National Investigating Agency (NIA), has lodged a formal FIR to investigate the role of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in alleged attempts to revive “terror in Punjab”.

“The FIR would help the agency to check BKI’s funding channels, keep tab on their members and even confiscate their properties” reports The Tribune (TNS).

The police in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi is reported to have allegedly busted various modules of BKI in the recent past.

According a TNS report: “Sources said regular inputs were shared with NIA counterparts to identify the funding channels of the BKI. ‘But in the interest of the nation, we cannot discuss such issues,’ said a senior police officer of the Punjab Police”.

“According to the NIA, a formal FIR has been lodged at the agency headquarters in New Delhi. Following Ministry of Home Affairs orders, a case was registered under Sections 121 and 121 (A) of IPC that pertains to waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging a war against the Government of India and under Sections 17, 18, 38, 39 and 40 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act” adds The Tribune (TNS) news report.

“Many NGOs based in Europe, Asia and Canada, that have donated money to BKI, are under our scanner,” an unnamed senior police officer is reported to have said by TNS.

This news report published by The Tribune further adds that “In 2011, a confidential letter, shot to the AIG’s (Counter Intelligence Unit) in Patiala, Bathinda, Jalandhar and Amritsar on October 21, 2011, the state police had asked for a review of the list of suspected BKI members on November 9. Many on the list have been missing from Punjab for the past over two decades. While few of the suspects have been arrested, others are still on the run”.

List of alleged suspects is also published by The Tribune:

• Bakshish Singh,
  
• Gurdial Singh,
  
• Gurinderjit Singh Mana,
  
• Gurmit Singh Amalo,
  
• Harbhajan Singh,
  
• Harjot Singh,
  
• Harminder Singh,
  
• Harpal Singh Cheema,
  
• Harwinder Singh,
  
• Jagdev Singh Alias Gursharanbir Singh,
  
• Jasbir Singh,
  
• Jaspal Singh,
  
• Jassa Singh,
  
• Kuldip Singh,
  
• Narinder Singh,
  
• Nazam Singh,
  
• Puran Singh,
  
• Ramandeep Singh Goldy,
  
• Sukhwinder Singh,
  
• Supinder Singh and
  
• Surmukh Singh. [/indent]

**********************

ADPP lash back on attempt to crush Political dissent through misuse of Law:

On the other hand Harpal Singh Cheema, a Sikh political activist and Senior Vice President of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani (ADPP) has lashed on Indian state for attempting misuse of notorious laws to crush the political dissent.

“Akali Dal Panch Pardhani is a democratic political party, we have contested elections and our president Bhai Kulvir Singh is a democratically elected member of SGPC from Phillaur constituency” said Harpal Singh Cheema, who is also a practising lawyer.

“ADPP has nothing to do with Babbar Khalsa International and Indian agencies and police know it very well but they are linking names of ADPP leaders, including mine, to prevent us from propagating our political beliefs through democratic means” he added.

“ADPP is ready to face any inquiry for alleged flow of funds. If Indian state is suspecting us for anything we would extend every help to clear their doubt but falsely implicating us for ‘Waging war against the State’ and various other sections under notorious ‘Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act’ is undemocratic and barbaric act” he added.

State is making repeated attempts to implicate ADDP leaders and each time police, prosecution and Indian agencies have failed to prove anything besides planting false allegations through media reports, claimed Advocate Cheema. He informed Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) that in 2009 similar charges were levelled against Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu, then President of ADPP besides Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur and others; but the state has failed to prove any of the charges in the court of law. Though the case is still in the court but for last three years there is no significant progress in trial which shows that the state does not have any evidence to substantiate the allegations.

[lsingh]

Are the Sikh Organisations going to still keep their heads in the sand after torture?

Human Rights Watch raises torture allegations regarding detained Singhs.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Was-given-electric-shocks-in-police-custody-Kulbir-Singh-Barapind-told-court/articleshow/16602584.cms

JALANDHAR: Following allegations of torture of SGPC member and SAD (Panch Pardhani) President Kulbir Singh Barapind in police custody, Human Rights Watch has called for an investigation into allegations that the Punjab police tortured Kulbir Singh Barapind after his September 20 arrest on charges of waging war on the state, possession of explosives, and sedition. HRW said that it highlights the widespread use of torture by Indian security forces, which may prevent foreign extraditions to India, Human Rights Watch said today.

"The Indian parliament should promptly enact the Prevention of Torture bill and the government should take immediate steps to implement its provisions, including ending all torture and ill-treatment by security forces and prosecuting those responsible," HRW said.

It may be mentioned here that Barapind's counsel had moved an application in the court of JMIC Jatinder Pal Singh Bhatti on September 26 alleging that he was given electric shocks in police custody. " While in the custody, the applicant was tortured by the police by applying electric shocks. The applicant also verbally brought this fact to this Court and to his counsel on September 26 when the applicant was produced in the Court," the application moved by his counsels Kashmir Singh Malhi and Harpal Singh Cheema read. The court had issued directions on Friday for constitution of a board of doctors for medical examination to ascertain the allegations.

HRW noted that the US had extradited Barapind to India on June 17, on murder charges after obtaining assurances from India that he would not be tortured. A court in India subsequently acquitted Barapind of all charges and released him in April 2008.

"Indian authorities seldom deny that torture is a problem, but their failure to ensure the safety of someone in a high-profile international case shows how extensive it is," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

"This case spotlights the urgency for India to enact the Prevention of Torture bill and put its provisions into immediate effect."

During India's Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights Council in May 2012, several countries recommended that India enact legislation specifically prohibiting torture and ratify the Convention against Torture.

"Human rights groups have long documented the widespread use of torture to extract confessions, identify criminals, and often to simply punish suspects in custody by assuming their guilt," Ganguly said. "The recent UN review of India's rights record made clear that governments are also deeply concerned about pervasive torture," she added.

HRW also called on the Indian government to ratify the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and to enact the Prevention of Torture bill, which is currently awaiting cabinet approval before it is voted on by the Rajya Sabha.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Was-given-electric-shocks-in-police-custody-Kulbir-Singh-Barapind-told-court/articleshow/16602584.cms

[lsingh]

Canadian Sikh Coalition Decries Abuse Of Democracy In The Punjab Arrest Of Activist Politicians Barapind And Bittu

SURREY – The Canadian Sikh Coalition is decrying the arrest of Punjab-based politicians and activists Daljit Singh Bittu and Kulbir Singh Barapind have been arrested by the Punjab police.

Barapind is the current president of the political party Akali Dal Panch Pardhani and also an elected representative of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. He is currently the only SGPC member that is not affiliated to Badal from the entire Doaba region. Bittu is the former president of the ADPP and a long-time political activist.

Their arrests have raised many eyebrows and concerns by Sikh leaders, political activists and human rights advocates locally and internationally. This is not the first time both these men have been arrested by the police on false premises. In 1995, Bittu was arrested and recently acquitted on all charges as the courts found the charges against him ill-founded. However, as a result of these cases he has spent the past 12 out of 16 years of his life behind bars. Further, out the 28 cases registered against him he has been acquitted in 24 and 4 are still pending a decision. Similarly, Barapind was extradited from the United States by the Indian government for militancy related cases in 2006. He was tried in three cases and acquitted in all of them.

“There is a consistent pattern in the tactics used against Bittu and Barapind where the Badal regime is using its political arm of the police to arrest, detain and torture those individuals whose political ideologies contradict with the current government,” stated CSC press release.

It has recently been reported by the lawyer of Bittu and Barapind, Harpal Singh Cheema, that both men “were subjected to third degree physical torture by the police during custody.” This statement raises a red flag as Punjab’s political history is tainted with police repression, torture and murder. In previous movements where people have raised their voices against the oppressive governmental regimes they were faced with state-sanctioned violence. Bittu and Barapind are current examples of how the Badal regime is using violence as a means of suppressing any form of political dissent and forcefully silencing individuals by incarcerating them on baseless accusations that do not result in convictions. Under the current charges, both men were implicated under the Explosives Act, 1884 but without recovery of any materials that would implicate them in such an outrageous claim. Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “It’s strange that the police have registered the F.I.R against the ADPP leaders under the Explosive Act but at the same time the police have failed to show any recovery of explosives.” The police have still not produced any evidence in regards to why these arrests were made and instead have demanded to extend the custody of Bittu and Barapind. Considering both men have already attested to being subjected to torture, the Canadian Sikh Coalition is requesting human rights organizations to monitor these cases as torture may be used as a method to extract false testimonies.

Canadian Sikh Coalition spokesperson Moninder Singh says, “this isn’t the first time the Badal regime has used force to suppress political dissent. These baseless charges are used as a tool to suppress the voices of leaders like Daljit Singh Bittu and Kulbir Singh Barapind who have politically organized and lobbied for a stronger Sikh nation. Even more disturbing are the comments of Badal’s appointed SGPC President Avtar Makkar who is saying the arrests are correct. Makkar well knows the history of the Indian states genocidal campaign against the Sikh people yet has continuously made statements like these to keep his position in-tact. As elected representatives, Bittu and Barapind are using democratic means to voice their political ideologies to the citizens of Punjab. However, the Badal government has taken this form of political expression as a threat and in return used undemocratic means to silence their opposition. The question on everyone’s mind at this point is how far will Badal go to ensure he maintains hegemony over Punjab politics? This continuous behavior will have the average Sikh calling for a review of the entire system which has been corrupted by Badal and his pawns,” stated CSC.

“The Canadian Sikh Coalition is using preventative methods to ensure that political activists like Bittu and Barapind are not subjected to state sanctioned violence by Badal’s corrupt regime. We are lobbying human rights organizations worldwide to keep an eye on this case considering India’s history of human rights violations. This is not a time to remain silent rather it is a time to spread awareness to ensure we do not have another chapter in Punjab’s political history that is defined by human rights violations by the state.”

[acsap]

Chatanga bhaji, I don't have to prove anything to you or your sadh Dhumma. However, I can tell you one thing I am not kissing badal's feet like Dhumma. It is not about me, it is about helping innocent Sikhs who are being arrested. Dhumma can help these Sikhs but that will make his master badal unhappy.

[chatanga]

it is about helping innocent Sikhs who are being arrested.

OK bhaji, so tell us what you have done.

[acsap]

Bhaji, I am trying to tell you this is not about me. What i have done is between me and my guru. However, just to keep somebody like you entertained, I will explain a bit, I have not seen or talked to Dumma in more than 20 years. For fun sake mention 1991 to him and just make sure he is close to the bathroom, and that sadh will understand.

[chatanga]

. However, just to keep somebody like you entertained...

[Singh, Mahan]

Source: http://www.sikhsiyas...-across-canada/

Thousands of Sikhs gather in solidarity with Bhai Daljit Singh & Bhai Barapind across Canada

By HAINDER SINGH

Published: October 1, 2012

Vancouver, BC (September 30, 2012): On September 30, 2012 thousands of Sikhs across Canada stood in solidarity with Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu and Bhai Kulbir Singh Barapind in Punjab. A petition writing campaign to “Free the Singh” was launched across the country in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal, and will continue on till next week. Canadian politicians will be receiving petitions from their constituents who are concerned of the well-being of these political prisoners in Punjab.

Canadian Sikh Coalition spokesperson Moninder Singh stated, “It was amazing to see our community come together and advocate for the protection of these men who are being subjected to cruel torture by the Indian police. Today was just the beginning. and we as a community know that in dealing with such an oppressive regime, it can be a long drawn out struggle. As we voice our discontent against systematic oppression within Punjab we will encounter many challenges, but these challenges are nothing we have not faced before and will not hold us back from campaigning for a free Punjab where the freedoms of all communities is guaranteed and not just scribbled on a piece of paper with no accountability. We have initiated dialogue with organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and we will continue to contact human rights organizations, and other international bodies that are related to this case. The Sikh diaspora will use all legal means to place pressure on the Indian government to ensure those who have committed these human rights violations are held to account.”

Petition signing will continue next weekend in Gurudwara’s across the country and we encourage people to visit www.freethesingh.com” Moninder Singh added.

.

.

[Singh, Mahan]

Source: http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2012/10/10/punjab-police-failed-to-produce-bhai-kulvir-singh-barapind-before-phillaur-co

Punjab police failed to produce Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind before Phillaur court

By Haider Singh

Published: October 10, 2012

Phillaur, Jalandhar (October 10, 2012): According to information available at the website of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani the Jalandhar Police today failed to produce Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind, President of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani, before the Court of Judicial Magistrate at Phillaur.

Bhai Kulbir Singh Barapind was arrested by police under so-called preventive measures (Sections 107/151 of Criminal Procedure Code) on September 20, 2012 allegedly in wake of Bharat Bandh Call, but on September 21, 2012 he was booked for serious charges like “Waging War against the State”. He was also charged under Arms Act, Explosives Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

During his six days long police remand he was subjected to physical and mental torture.

On September 26, 2012 he was committed to judicial custody and was sent to Kapurthala Jail.

“Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind was to be presented in the court today. We kept on waiting outside the court but the police did not produce him.” informed Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema, acting President of ADPP, who is also a counsel of Bhai Barapind.

“Police did not give any sound reason for not producing Bhai KS Barapind in the court; they simply informed the court that the police guard for Kulvir Singh Barapind could not be secured therefore he could not be produced in the court” Bhai Harpal Singh informed.

It is notable that arrest, detention and torture of Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind has raised worldwide concern as India had secured the his custody from USA under an extradition treaty that had strictly barred torture. Sikh diaspora is conducting campaigns to raise their concern with receptive governments.