Bring back Bhagu Singh to India, plead Rawana Rajputs

BARMER:The My mother has spent her whole life waiting for my father. Her last wish is to see him again.

ARJUN SINGH, son of Bhagu Singh

recent release of Jaipur resident Gajanand Sharma, who was lodged in a Pakistani jail for 36 years, has kindled hope among four families in Rajasthan whose relatives are believed to be lodged in jails in Pakistan for more than three decades.

Recently, the Rawana Rajput community joined hands with these families and demanded that their community member, Bhagu Singh, be brought back to India. The community organised a meeting at their community hall in Barmer and later took out a procession. They gave a memorandum to the district collector in the name of the president, prime minister, home minister, external affairs minister and chief minister. Bhagu Singh’s family members were also present.

State president of Rawana Rajput community Virendra Rawana said “Family members of Bhagu Singh have made all possible efforts for his release. But all efforts were in vain.” Along with Bhagu Singh, they are also demanding the release of three others lodged in Pakistan jails.

Bhagu Singh of Gohad Ka Tala, Teela Ram of Bheelon ka Tala and Sahu Ram of Sarupe ka Tala villages of Chohtan block in Barmer and Jamalddin of Ramgarh village in Jaisalmer have been ‘missing’ since 1980. They are believed to have crossed over to Pakistan while grazing cattle. They were among the nine people missing, but five were released by Pakistan in 2010.

Rawana said that the families were hopeful when five of the nine returned after RTI activist Bhuvnesh Jain raised the issue.

He said that with the release of Gajanand Sharma has revealed that the authorities in Pakistan are torturing Indian prisoners. “There are chances that due to atrocities some prisoners have become mentally challenged or may have changed their names. We are unaware if they are alive or dead,” said Rawana.

The matter of these missing border residents first came to light in 1996 when activist Bhuvnesh Jain conducted a survey in the border villages of Barmer and Jaisalmer districts. Later, his communication with the external affairs and home ministry through RTI revealed that about 10 people from Barmer and Jaisalmer districts were believed to be lodged in Pakistani jails.

Jain then launched a movement for the release of these missing people. His efforts resulted in the release of six people in 2010.

In October 2014, in reply to an RTI query filed by Jain, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad said, “Pakistani authorities have neither accepted nor denied the presence of Rajasthani prisoners in Pakistani jails.” In case of Teela Ram and Sahu Ram, the high commission said that the Pakistani authorities have been maintaining silence.

However, their families claimed that they had received letters from the jailed persons in the initial years of their “arrest”. Bhagu Singh’s family received the last letter in 2011 showing his presence in Kot Lakhpat jail.

Arjun Singh, son of Bhagu Singh, said, “My family has been waiting for my father’s return for the past 36 years.”

Jain said it’s a good move for the community to come forward and help these families.