84-year-old Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa is currently the oldest person on hunger strike. Having started his agitation on 16 January, 2015, Bapu Surat Singh will reach three years in 2018.
The lifelong human rights activist has been on hunger strike to draw attention to Sikh political prisoners in India. Having completed their full sentences, the political prisoners remain imprisoned, denied their freedom year after year.
During his three-year struggle, more than a dozen political prisoners have been permanently released, with some long-serving prisoners receiving parole for the first time in decades.
Despite the Indian Government's repeated attempts to discredit, sabotage or end Bapu Surat Singh's hunger strike, he remains steadfast in his resolve to free the prisoners.
Forcibly removed from his residence in Hassanpur, Punjab, less than a month into his hunger strike in February 2015, he has spent most of the past three years detained in hospitals, force-fed and given treatment against his will. He is currently being confined at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana, Panjab.
There are ongoing campaigns to help raise awareness and keep Bapu Surat Singh's story in the media.
A Twitter event is scheduled for Sunday 14 January, 2018 to commemorate the 3-year mark. Please tweet throughout the day using the hashtag #3YearsOfHunger.
Everyone is encouraged to donate blood and post their donation photos on social media, using the hashtag #SikhBlood.
Artists and supporters all over the world continue to raise awareness through their work. Art exhibitions have taken place in the U.K and the U.S. to showcase the artwork and poems. These pieces can be viewed on social media, under the hashtag #Art4Justice.
If anyone would like to contribute a piece that helps highlight Bapu Surat Singh's hunger strike and Sikh political prisoners, please send a high resolution image of your work and a short biography to [email protected].
Please do your part in helping us raise awareness. Do not let the world forget about this 84-year-old human rights defender. It's important to continually raise awareness and keep Bapu Surat Singh's story prominently in the news and on social media.
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Facebook: Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa - Sangharsh Jaari Hai
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Twitter: @bapusuratsingh
Website: www.freesikhprisoners.com
Email: [email protected]