AMRITSAR: The four yearlong uncertainties are finally over. But the uncertainty over the future remains. The parents and relatives are jubilant every visitor to the House 1s greeted with smiles and treated with sweets, but what will 1 do for a living is a question on the lips of every released Jodhpur detainee. After being away from the mainstream of life for four years.

On arriving here, some of them spoke to ENS. The main concern was getting a job. “We have wasted four years in jail for no fault of ours, Will the Government now provide us a means to sustain ourselves? They ask.

Raminder Pal Singh, son of Harcharan Singh, 23, was studying in B.A. when the Government charged him with waging a war against it. He however, managed. To continue his studies and passed the BA (Giani) and MA part 1 examination of the Guru Nanak Dey University. Yet he doubts whether anyone would give him a Job.

Son of an SGPC employee, he had been living in the employee’s quarters of the temple complex since birth. Recalling the incident on June 6, 1984 when he was arrested by the Army he says, “the firing had begun and we were caught in the cross fire. After

sometime along with my family sought Army protection and came out raising our hands, We were all arrested, Later my family was released and I was booked under Sections 121, 302, 307, IPC.”

Upkar Singh, an intermediate was running a printing press before he was arrested he had gone to the Harmandir Sahib to pay his obeisance. While he was still there, he recalls, the firing started. He was caught inside and later arrested. The family had to sell off the press and the shop. Today, he finds himself dependent on the ones he had supported.

Pritpal Singh, son of Mehnga Singh, used to help his father with his business of manufacturing underwears. He used to go to the Harmandir Sahib every morning for sewa (service), He was caught inside the Temple when the curfew was imposed. Now he learns that his father’s shop will be dismantled.

About 25 such detainees have become mentally unsound due to “atrocities” committed by jail officials.

Mohinder Pal Singh son of Tirath Singh of the Basant Singh Street had a small “dattan” business behind the Akal Takht. A regular visitor to the temple he had gone there to perform the daily rite of washing the temple floor with milk, it was at this time that he got caught in the operation today, and on his release he finds the world to be a totally different place

Gurdarshan Singh an employee of the SGPC when he was picked up does not know whether the SGPC would reinstate him or not

In the beginning the detenus were made to sit out in the sun on. Hot summer days and 14 blankets were thrown upon them. “With our hands tied at the back, we couldn’t do anything” said one of them.

They were allowed to communicate with their families but the letters were censored and took two months to reach either way.

Among the detainees still in jail there about six to seven old people who either cannot see or cannot walk on their own, the relatives were allowed to meet them once a week but were made to speak from, across a barbed wire.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 7, 1988