An uncomfortable situation arose at Bhikiwind village
Saturday when the daughter of a missing BSF sepoy, believed to have been taken
prisoner of war (PoW) by Pakistan in 1971, alleged that both the state and
central government have failed to make sincere efforts to ascertain the
whereabouts of her father and demanded compensation of her family.
Harjit Kaur, daughter of BSF sepoy Joginder Singh, lodged
her protest as Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was addressing the
people who had gathered to attend the bhog ceremony of Sarabjit Singh, an
Indian prisoner who died in a hospital after being brutally assaulted by some
prisoners in a Pakistan jail.
Harjit said that her father was posted with 21 BSF Battalion
and was taken prisoner by Pakistan in 1971 war. Havildar Hardial Singh, who was
one of the colleagues of my father, had told my mother that my father fell down
on his knees after coming in line of Pakistani forces fire. Hardial Singh saw
my father being thrown into a jeep by the Pakistani forces before being taken
away, Harjit said, adding that she was a
toddler when the incident took place.
My younger sister was born few months after my father was
taken prisoner. Due to the financial crunch and other problems faced by family
in later years, my sister later turned insane. We had to shift from my in-laws
place in Dharamkot Randhawa to my parental place in Rajatal, Harjit, who along
with other family members has paid numerous visits to Attari border looking for
clues about her father whenever Indian prisoners are repatriated from Pakistan,
said.
She said that one of the repatriated Indian prisoner told
the family years ago that her father was lodged in a jail in Pakistan. We were
told that he is losing mental balance. An Indian prisoner repatriated by Pakistan
about eight years had told us that my father was lodged in Sargodha jail. At
present, we do not know whether he is dead or alive or where he is. I wanted to
meet the Chief Minister to request him to make efforts to trace the location of
my father. I also demand compensation for my younger sister and mother, she added.
Harjit, who is married to a truck driver, rued that the
family was promised land in Mohali and a petrol pump, but never got anything. The
only thing my mother gets is monthly pension of Rs 6,000, Kaur added.
She lamented that despite being promised she was not allowed
to meet the Chief Minister or Congress leader Ambika Soni, who was present at
the venue.
Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/daughter-of-1971-pow-bsf-sepoy-protests-during-sarabjits-bhog-ceremony-seeks-compensation/
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