Former spies and family members of those killed or languishing in Pakistan jails protest outside Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on Monday. Tribune photo: Vishal Kumar

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 10

Several former secret agents and the families of those who either lost their lives or have been languishing in Pakistani jails assembled at Jallianwala Bagh here today to sensitise the Central and state governments about their cause. They demanded “dignified compensation”.They submitted a memorandum, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee, through the DC office, urging them to introduce administrative reforms concerned with retirement and rehabilitation of Indian Intelligence agents and their families.Like the defence forces — be it the Army, Navy or Air Force — the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is serving the country for years. But when an agent is caught in a covert operation on a foreign soil, the country disowns him.The former agents resented that except for Bhikhiwind native Sarabjit Singh’s family, no recognition or compensation was given to any other family.Jammu-based former spy Vinod Sawhney (61), who had suffered third-degree torture in Pakistani jails for around 10 years, unfolded many stories of agents who were lucky enough to return, but have been fighting a protracted battle with the government for their rehabilitation.He produced several documents to prove that he worked as a spy for the Indian government between 1977 and 1988. With desperation writ large on his face, he said, “The government uses and throws its agents.” Sawhney heads the Jammu Ex-Sleuths’ Association. He is raising voice for the welfare of “unsung heroes”, who worked for the Indian intelligence agencies, and the families of those killed on the other side of the border.The story of Ferozepur’s Upender Nath Sharma (71) is no different. The Intelligence Bureau hired him in 1968. A later year later, he was caught spying in Pakistan. He was released in 1974 under the 1972 Simla Agreement. “Many like me, spent prime of their youth in Pakistani jails. After my release, I did petty jobs to sustain my family. Not only me, there are many who ran from pillar to post to get their due, but to no avail,” he said.Kathua-based Kamal Kumar has been fighting for the release of his father Om Parkash lodged in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. He was holding a letter of the High Commission of India to prove that his father was indeed lodged in the Pakistani jail. “My father was caught in 1998. I was two years old then. My family is living a miserable life and there’s no relief from the Centre. I want early release of my father,” he said.Gurdaspur’s Surinder Pal carried with him blood-stained Tricolour in which he received the body of his father Satpal Singh, an intelligence agent. The family vowed not to wash the blood stains till they got the dues from the government.“My father was nabbed in 1999 on the other side of border during the Kargil War. He was tortured in a Pakistani jail. He ultimately died. We received his body in 2000 at the Attari-Wagah border. Many government officials had been visiting our house, promising us a job and other monetary benefits, but the assurances have not materialised. To date, we haven’t got justice,” he added.

Move ICJ over Jadhav’s death penalty: Dalbir Chandigarh: Dalbir Kaur, the sister of Sarabjit Singh, who died in a Pakistan jail in 2013, said India should approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and ensure that the death sentence awarded to Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan was not carried out. “Even if I assume that Jadhav was an agent, still he does not deserve death sentence. There are many Pakistani nationals lodged in our jails who are charged with serious crimes. Should they be hanged? The 2000 Red Fort attack case convict was a Pakistani, but he wasn’t hanged,” she said. PTI