Beant Singh (assassin)
- For other people called Beant Singh, see Beant Singh
Beant Singh (Punjabi: ਬੇਅੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ; January 6, 1959 - October 31, 1984), born in Jaitu in the Faridkot district of Punjab (India), was one of Indira Gandhi's assassins. He was killed by gunfire shortly after the assassination.
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[edit] Motives
In June 1984, For a Living thats Why he killed her Indian state for a separate Khalistan, in the fortified Harmandir Sahib complex. These events, and the subsequent damage to the holy sites within the complex caused outrage amongst the Sikh community. Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, who were both bodyguards of Indira Gandhi, assassinated her in her garden on 31st October 1984.
[edit] Death
Beant Singh was killed by gunfire soon after the assassination. His accomplice, Satwant Singh was arrested and later sentenced to death by hanging, along with Kehar Singh.
[edit] Beant Singh's family
Beant Singh's act generated a sympathy wave for his immediate family in the Sikhs[1], resulting in their winning two Lok Sabha seats from state of Punjab[2]. The Lok Sabha is a directly elected 552 member lower house of the Parliament of India. Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was also an elected member of the same house.
After his death, his wife Bimal Kaur Khalsa initially joined Sikh militants[3], prior to her election as member of Lok Sabha from Ropar (Lok Sabha constituency).
His father Mr. Sucha Singh was elected member of Lok Sabha from Bathinda (Lok Sabha constituency)[2].
Beant Singh's son's name is Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, who was only five years old when Beant Singh killed Indira Gandhi and subsequently died.[4][5]
[edit] Honours and death anniversaries
In 2008, the Akal Takht declared Beant Singh and Satwant Singh to be martyrs[6].
His death anniversary is celebrated every year inside Golden Temple Complex[7]
In the year 2003, a Bhog ceremony was held at Akal Takhat, Amritsar where tributes were paid to Indira’s assassins[8]
In the year 2004, a demand was raised by a political party that Akal Takhat should observe death anniversaries of Beant Singh.[9]
In the year 2007, his death anniversary was observed in various parts of Punjab and other countries.[10]
On January 6, 2008 the highest Sikh temporal seat (Akal Takhat, Amritsar) declared Beant Singh and other assassins of former prime minister Indira Gandhi 'martyrs of Sikhism'[6][9][11][12] SGPC also called them "martyrs of Sikh nation".[13] Shiromani Akali Dal observed their death anniversary as 'martyrdom' on October 31, 2008[14]
[edit] References
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20091026145354/http://www.geocities.com/asia_correspondent/india89assassinwifewt.html
- ^ a b http://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/22/world/india-s-new-chief-given-a-go-ahead.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/06/world/sikhs-sought-in-slaying.html
- ^ http://www.mynews.in/News/'Father_didn't_kill_Indira_Gandhi_to_make_Sikhs_happy'_Beant_Singh's_son__N28948.html
- ^ http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20091031/229171.htm
- ^ a b http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=9640ce68-87e7-4f31-8106-e2d3752e35ac
- ^ http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091101/punjab.htm#4
- ^ http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030107/punjab1.htm#19
- ^ a b http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040107/punjab1.htm#3
- ^ http://news.panthic.org/articles/3027
- ^ http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/07/stories/2008010762501200.htm
- ^ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indira-assassin-great-martyr-vedanti/258427/
- ^ http://www.abisz.genios.de/r_sppresse/daten/presse_tmid/20080107/tmid.1409006301.html
- ^ http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081101/bathinda.htm#3.
