Continuation from : Shahidi: Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar Part 8
Days After Shahidi
The day after Bhai Sahib's shaheedi was announced, his body was taken to Ludhiana Civil Hospital under tight army security. A post mortem was done, then quickly the body was taken to a commemoration ground and cremated. The authorities knew the popularity of Bhai Sahib in Punjab, and wanted to make sure no huge funeral could take place.
Worldwide numerous Akhand Paths & Rainsbhais were held in Bhai Sahib's memory. The genocidal Chief Minister Beant Singh put a state wide curfew on the 20th August to ensure no Akhand Path bhogs are held. This curfew was enforced with a “shoot to kill” policy on anyone seen walking the streets.
A day before, in the village Dhassuwal, Amritsar, an akhand path bhog was held for the longest serving leader of the Khalistan Movement. Realising the impact on this, roadblocks were set on a 35km radius. All the villages within the radius were evacuated. Anyone trying to get to the bhog ceremony was arrested or shot on sight. Thousands of Police and Army personnel were sent to the area to enforce this.
So the 37 year old leader of the Sikh Freedom Movement, who was six foot tall, with a good build, hawkish eyes, brave warrior, and creator of the Babbar Khalsa had no Shaheedi smagam in his home village, but all of the world it was commemorated.
In his house, surrounded by Police, 5 young Singhs, his father, Bapu Jind Singh, his wife Bibi Sukhwant Kaur, Bibi Gurmeet kaur - his sister-in-law and wife of Bhai Mehal Singh, brothers Rushal Singh and Angrej Singh, and sisters Swaran kaur, Charan kaur, Jeet kaur, and cousins Harbans Singh, Daljeet Singh and Sukha Singh were allowed to stand in ardas at the Akhand Path Bhog. They were all surrounded by Police.
Outside the Police had arrested and taken to prison everyone who tried to attend or was already present at the bhog. This included over 100 men, over 200 bibian, Bhai Sahib`s relatives, his children:- Tejinder Singh (13 years old), Gurvinder Singh (9 years old) and Amrit kaur (11 years old). Bhai sahib nephews:- Balraj Singh (19 years old) and Pargat Singh (17 years old), and other relatives Baghel Singh, Rashpal Singh, Baljit Singh, Baldev Singh, Dalbir Singh were also arrested and put in cells. Eve those Gursikhs making langar were not spared police arrest.
Character Assassination
The Indian Security Services and especially RAW (Research and analysis Wing) knew the Babbar Khalsa group were a puritan group whos fight was based on high ideals. Jathedar Sukhdev Singh was an iconic figure in Punjab and the backbone of the movement. They knew they had to discredit him to make sure no new Sukhdev Singh should rise from his ashes. This policy had already been used effectively on Deepa Heeran wale who was hugely popular in his area.
So a detailed propaganda campaign was launched by the security forces, and spread via the press, and even via other agents amongst the Sikh leadership. In hindsight now it is easy to see who is who. In them days it was more difficult. Just compare the sacrifices of Jathedar Sukhdev Singh Babbar, Anokh Singh Babbar, Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala, Avtar Singh Brahma, and Gurbachan Singh Manochal, with those who spoke against them such as Badal, Wassan Zaffarwal, Dr Jagjit Chohan and other Panthik traitors.
Jathedar Sukhdev Singh was attacked on two points which is important to be cleared, as the propaganda was done over a number of years to the Sikh masses and some many still question Bhai Sahib.
Firstly, comments were made on his lifestyle mainly due to the house in which he lived. The house was very large and well decorated. We have to understand for Bhai Sahib to live for 14 years and take guerrilla warfare to the level that he did, plus also co-ordinate efforts world wide, he could not have done this living in a field, a ditch, or a shack. The house and lifestyle were part of his disguise as the rich building contractor, which gave him access to numerous telephone lines, faxes, and powerful contacts. This was essential to run a parallel government like he between 1986 -1989.
Secondly propaganda was spread that he remarried and had children. This is also not true. Bhai Sahib was only married once to Bibi Sukhwant kaur in 1978, and he had children with her. To maintain his disguise, he could not have his actual wife living with him. She was constantly under surveillance, and it would expose his disguise straight away. As part of the disguise, it was made to look like he had a family. This was with a Bibi Parcharak who was sympathetic to the cause, and a child was adopted from a Shaheed Parivaar.
Bhai Sahib was a Gursikh of high calibre, with amazing qualities and a Jeevan full of Seva , Simran and Sacrifice……Today the Panth desperately needs more like him…
Movement Slows Down
This period between mid 1992 to 1993 saw the capture of many of the Leadership of the movement. Within months, Bhai Rashpal Singh Chandra, Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala, Jathedar Sukhdev Singh Babbar and Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochal were Shaheed. Other key figures shifted operations to Pakistan and other countries. Later Wassan Zaffarwal, Dr Sohan Singh and Dr Jagjit Chohan showed their true colours.
In the run up to the next election, Congress Chief Minister Beant Singh made a statement that he was higher the Sahib Siri Guru Gobind Singh, because he has killed all his Singhs. By now a new generation had joined this path. Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara had set up a unit, which decided to show Congress leader Beanta that Singhs had not been finished yet. A young Singh called Bhai Dilawar Singh Babbar sacrificed himself to assassinate Beant Singh and many of his aides. KPS Gill still walks free today…….
