Assam: Pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh begins hunger strike in Dibrugarh jail

Amritpal Singh, a self-proclaimed Sikh religious preacher and prominent pro-Khalistan leader, has embarked on an indefinite hunger strike within the confines of Dibrugarh jail in Assam. Joining him in this protest are nine fellow detainees, all united by their grievances concerning alleged restrictions on their chosen lawyer's access to them while incarcerated.

Outside the prison walls, Amritpal Singh's wife, Kirandeep Kaur, has also taken up a hunger strike to stand in solidarity with her husband and the detainees who have been held under the National Security Act (NSA).

The catalyst for this hunger strike was the reported denial of access to their chosen lawyer, Rajdev Singh, within the jail premises. On September 28, the detainees had composed a letter addressed to the Dibrugarh jail superintendent, expressing their dissatisfaction with the actions of Amritsar deputy commissioner (DC), whom they accused of obstructing Rajdev's visit to the jail.

In response to these allegations, DC Amit Talwar clarified the situation, asserting that detainees are permitted to meet with an advocate of their choice in accordance with the detenue order. He explained that Amritpal Singh had already met with advocate Navkiran Singh instead of Rajdev Khalsa, and now, he was requesting to meet Rajdev once more, while Navkiran had already been granted access.

The matter has since been escalated to the secretary of Home for guidance and clarification. However, with no resolution in sight for the past five days, both Amritpal Singh and Kirandeep Kaur, along with the other detainees, have initiated an indefinite hunger strike to draw attention to their plight and emphasize their right to make decisions regarding legal representation.