Faridkot (Punjab): Tired of their repeated pleas falling on deaf ears, the family of Punjab Army soldier Surjeet Singh who went missing during the 1971 India-Pakistan war has been pushed to the limit so much so that they now demand the government to grant euthanasia or deport them.
Speaking on the occasion of Diwali, soldier Surjeet Singh's son Amrik Singh said the family is not able to celebrate any festival given the sorrow and longing that bothers them time and again. "Our festivities always turned into mourning because our mother would often remember our father," Amrik said.
His father, Surjeet, a resident of a village adjacent to Punjab's Faridkot, went missing from the Shamban sector during the 1971 war. At that time, Amrek was just only 1 month old. In time, Surjit Singh was declared martyred by the Indian Army and the certificate of martyrdom was also handed over to the family.
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But a few years ago, on the occasion of the 300-year-old Khalsa Sajanan Day celebrated by the Pakistan government, some Indian prisoners were released by the Pakistan government. Some of the prisoners contacted Surjeet Singh's family and told them that he was alive in a jail in Pakistan.
The news brought new life and hopes to the family who approached several ministers at both state and central levels. They even tried to contact the government in Pakistan, but no concrete step was taken by anyone.
"It is difficult to bear all this now, so we appeal to the Centre and the Punjab government that the entire family is disappointed, tired, and defeated. If the government cannot bring back our family member, they should either deport us or allow us to end our lives," said Amrek.
