Bandi Singhs: Current State of Affairs with Bhai Jaspal Singh Manjhpur

Sikh sangat in Canada welcomed Bhai Jaspal Singh Manjhpur in recent weeks as he traveled across the country to speak about Sikh political prisoners and the ongoing repression of political dissidents. On June 30, he participated in an interactive discussion at Brampton City Hall where he touched on a range of topics including Sikh political prisoners, Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and his own history of activism. 

Bhai Jaspal Singh Manjhpur is a distinguished lawyer and human rights defender know for his dedication to defending political dissidents and religious minorities targeted by Indian security agencies. As legal counsel for dozens of Sikh and Muslim political prisoners, he has an intimidate understanding of the wide array of tools–both legal and extrajudicial–that Indian agencies use to clamp down on dissent. His own personal experience as a political activist and extensive litigation history give him a unique outlook that drives his revolutionary work.

Bhai Sahib has been active in panthic seva for over twenty years, including the revival of the Sikh Studetns’ Federation in the early 2000s and other panthic organizations until his own arrest under UAPA in 2009. After fighting his own case, he now represents many Sikh political prisoners currently in Indian prisons, including Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara, Bhai Jagtar Singh “Jaggi” Johal, Bhai Hardeep Singh Shera, and Bhai Ramandeep Singh Bagga.