Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale

Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale

Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale or Sant Jarnail Singh Brar (Template:Lang-pa; 12 February, 1947–6 June, 1984) was the leader of Damdami Taksal, a Sikh organisation based in India. Sant Ji was a freedom fighter against the discrimination against ethic minorities by the Congress Party and Indira Gandhi. He died a martyr fighting the Indian army at the Golden Temple.

Early life

Bhindranwale was born in the village of Rode, Moga district, Punjab, India. He was the seventh of eight brothers, the family were brought up as strict vegetarians. He took Amrit at early age and joined the Damdami Taksal to get educated in Sikhism.

Rise to popularity

In Punjab Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale went from village to village talking with Sikh people. He asked the Sikhs to live a true Khalsa and taught them to leave drugs and follow the true path of Sikhs. He would do speeches on 3-4 hour scales and encourage numerous youths to take Amrit, the holy nectar. Due to his preaching to the Sikh young men who had lost their path, his success with encouraging them to return to the true path of Khalsa by giving up vices like drugs etc., his focus on fighting for the justice and his humble and saintly personality Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale became a hero in the eyes of the people of Sikh people of Punjab.

Role in the militancy

Bhindranwale was widely perceived to be a supporter for the creation of a proposed Sikhism-based theocratic state of Khalistan. However, in a BBC interview, he stated that if the government agreed to the creation of such a state, he would not refuse reflecting deliberate ambiguity. Other quotes attributed to Bhindranwale include 'we are not in favour of Khalistan nor are we against it.' Responding to its formation he is quoted as saying, 'We won't reject it. We shall not repeat 1947.' to which he added, 'if the Indian Government invaded the Darbar Sahib complex, the foundation for an independent Sikh state will have been laid.'

On April 13, 1978, there was a confrontation between Nirankari and members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha. The confrontation led to the murder of 13 members of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and 3 Nirankaris. The FIR named 22 persons, several of whom were known associates of Bhindranwale. On April 24, 1980, the leader of Nirankaris, Gurbachan Singh, was killed. The FIR named nearly 20 people involved in the murder, most of whom had ties to Bhindranwale. Bhindranwale was subsequently implicated in ordering the assassination. A member of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Ranjit Singh, surrendered to committing the assassination three years later, and was setenced to serve 13 years at the Tihar Jail. Bhidranwale was later released without charge by Indian courts.

On September 9, 1981, Lala Jagat Narain, the proprietor of the Hind Samachar Group, was shot dead near the Amaltas Motel. Two days after the assassination, police issued warrants for the arrest of Bhidranwale. A police search in Chando Kalan, a Haryana village, failed to produce an arrest. Upon seeing this, Bhidranwale publicly announced that he would surrender on September 20.

On September 20, 1981, Bhindranwale was arrested on charges of orchestrating Lala Jagat Narain's murder. However, instead of being put in a jail, he was lodged in a circuit house. Over the next 25 days while Bhindranwale was held in custody, sporadic fights erupted in areas where Bhindranwale's accomplices had gathered. Bhindranwale was released on bail on October 15 as India's Home Minister, Giani Zail Singh announced in the Parliament that there was no evidence against Bhindrawale. It was widely believed that the investigations were scuttled for political reasons. In a public statement issued soon after, Bhindranwale expressed his approval for Lala Jagat Narain's murder. Nonetheless, staff of Narain's newspaper, the Punjab Kesri, and its distributors were targeted for some months and 62 people linked to the paper were murdered.

Death

On 3 June, 1984 Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi initiated Operation Bluestar and ordered the Indian Army to surround the Golden Temple complex to flush out militants. It was widely reported that Bhindranwale (who some consider to be a terrorist) did not survive the operation and is thus regarded as a "martyr" by his followers.

According to Lieutenant General Kuldip Singh Brar, who commanded the operation, the body of Bhindranwale was identified by a number of agencies, including the police, the Intelligence Bureau and militants in the Army's custody. Bhindranwale's brother is also reported to have identified Bhindranwale's body. Pictures of what appear to be Bhindranwale's body have been published in at least two widely circulated books, Tragedy of Punjab: Operation Bluestar and After and Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi's Last Battle). BBC correspondent Mark Tully also reported seeing Bhindranwale's battered body during his funeral.

People who maintain that he survived the operation include Dilbir Singh, the Public Relations Advisor at Guru Nanak Dev University. He stated that Bhindranwale was injured on the right side of his temple. R.K. Bajaj, a correspondent for Surya magazine, claimed to have seen a photograph of Bhindranwale in custody. This claim is strongly contested, especially by Jarnail Singh's son who has now become a prominent figure within Sikh politics. Some within the Damdami Taksal claimed he was in hiding in Pakistan.

Legacy

Bhindranwale is a controversial figure among Hindus and Sikhs, with some of both regarding him as a freedom fighter, while others regarding him as a terrorist. Among Sikhs who think of him as a freedom fighter, he is commonly referred to as a saint and used as a symbol for Khalistan, a movement for a proposed Punjab nation-state. Among those who regard him as a terrorist, he is often thought of as a traitor to India, anti-Hindu, and responsible for intentionally bringing on Operation Bluestar.

Famous Quotations

'My mission is to administer Amrit, to explain the meanings of Gurbani and to teach Gurbani to those around me; ... and (to tell people) that a Hindu should be a firm Hindu, a Muslim should be a firm Muslim, and a Sikh should be a firm Sikh'. His preaching was based on love. He said: 'If we speak to someone with hatred and try to assert our superiority, it will create hatred in the minds of everyone. So long as we have the spirit of love, so long as we have the support of Satguru Hargobind Sahib, the Master of Miri and Piri, is there any power on earth that can subdue us?'

'Nashey chaddo, Amrit chhako, Gursikh bano (Give up addictions, Take Amrit, Bec ome good Sikhs)'.

'We are firm extremists but of what type? Those who act the way Government says an extremist does. Whom does the Government call extremists? A person who takes Amrit (is formally initiated into the Sikh Faith) and administers it to others; who reads Baani (Siri Guru Granth Sahib) and teaches others to read it; who preaches unity and exhorts people to work together; who turns people towards cooperation; who unites them under the saffron Nishaan Sahib (the Sikh religious flag); who unites them with Akal Takhat Sahib and Harmandar Sahib; who is desirous of seeking justice (retribution) for the dishonor to our daughters and sisters, for the spilt blood of innocent people, for the irreverence shown towards Siri Guru Granth Sahib, the True King, and exhorts others to do the same - and we have to get these rights - the present Government has started calling such people extremists. Only Sikhs Of The Guru Have Volunteered. They Are More Than A Fistful. I had said these things when I asked people to raise their arms. He who is a Sikh of the spinning wheel and the goat, a Sikh of the Radhaswamis and Narkdharias (Nirankaris), a Sikh who waters the pipal tree and sprinkles sandhoor on the Jand tree, should not raise his arm in the presence of our Master (Siri Guru Granth Sahib). He who is a Sikh of Satguru Granth Sahib, is a friend of the Panth (the Khalsa Brotherhood), has respect for the honor of daughters and sisters, has respect for the spilt blood of the innocent and the brave, should raise his arms. This was the pledge I got from the stage. They were 115,000. She should think it over. They were 115,000. (One might say to her): "You are not the form of Guru Nanak that you can include all of them in your fist. Your fist could not even contain Jagjiwan Ram (a former Minister in the Government of India), not even Bajpai (a Hindu leader) and others. They left you and departed. How will you hold 115,000 Sikhs in your fist through mere talk?" She says there is only a handful! From one point of view it is even a good thing. So long as the fist is closed the fist is formed, it is there. When we open the hand, it becomes a slap. Fingers cannot hurt as much as a fist can. When the fingers are closed they call it a fist. You know, in our language, what the fist can do. So, Khalsa Ji, so long as our fist is closed, we are together. We desist from mutual criticism. We are Guru's Singhs and work together. Let us stop saying "I am a Congressite, I am an Akali, I am Bhindranwala, I am so and so." Giving these up, one thing should penetrate the Sikh's mind: "I am a Sikh, I want to live in Hindostan as a Sikh and not as a kesdhari Hindu (Hindu with uncut hair)." When this thing enters our mind (we shall succeed). She says "they are a handful." One hundred and fifteen thousand have made the pledge here. Some friends have registered their names with me too. Some say: "Why have they registered their names with you?" Some brothers talk like this too. I do not wish to name them, may God give them good sense. I pray to the Guru. I am not angry with them. That's all the wisdom they have. Friends have registered their names with me too. Who are the people who have done so? These were those who said: "We are not going anywhere without you." The President, Sant Baba Harchand Singh Ji Longowal, was asked. A request was made to him: "Baba Ji, some Singhs think like this. You should tell us (what to do). If tomorrow there is going to be a talk that (Bhindranwale is) forming his own Akali Dal, then I shall request these people to go home. But if you so order, I can register them." He said: "Get them registered." Persons between sixteen and forty years of age have been registered. We have registered older persons as well but that (list) is separate. In this age group, the count with me is thirty thousand. She says they are a handful! Garja Singh and Bota Singh (Sikh heroes from 18th century who defied the Imperial rulers) were two. It will be good if the Guru has mercy, the Satguru is benevolent, and the job gets completed in peace. We definitely are supporters of peace, but if the train once starts then it will be known whether they are a mere handful or too many even for (enclosing in a blanket) wrap.'

Please visit [www.sikhlionz.com/santbhindranwale.htm] for further and longer quotations.

Proof of Discrimination

• "To preserve the unity of India, if we have to eradicate 2-kror (20 million) sikhs, we will do so" (Balram Jhakhar, friend of former Prime Minister Narsimharao)
• "The Sikhs are lawless people and a menace to the law abiding Hindus. The governement should take strict action against them" (Pandit Nehru, Indian Prime Minister, on Sikhs.
• "Kya main taqat dushman" (the enemy-the Sikhs)ke haath main de dun" (How can I entrust power into the hands of the enemies). (Jawahar Lal Nehru, 1961)
• "I hate the very physique of a Sikh because of the turban and beard" (Vallabh Bhai Patel, Late Top Indian Politician)
• "I don't give a damn if the Golden Temple and the whole of Amritsar is destroyed, I want Bhindranwale dead" (Indira Gandhi, communicating to General Vaidya during operation Bluestar)
• "We have broken the backs of the Sikhs and we will get them elsewhere" (M.M.K Wali, Indian Foreign Secretary, June 7th on the radio)
• "Let us teach these bastards (the sikhs) a lesson" (Rajiv Gandhi, October 31 (1984). This was said to instigate the riots following Indira Gandh'is death which killed 20,000 sikhs.)
• "You do not know the might of our armed forces. We will eliminate 10,000 sikh youths and the world will know nothing of it" (Chander Shekhar, former Prime Minister of India, 1991)

For more quotes please vist [1]

External links

• Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale: Five Myths
• Knights of Falsehood - by K.P.s. Gill, former D.G.P. Punjab
• "Oh, That Other Hindu Riot of Passage - an article by Khushwant Singh
• From Bhindranwale to Bin Laden: The Rise of Religious Violence
• BBC Report
• Bhindranwale, Indira Gandhi, and the Sikh Struggles vs Indian Government. Website of the Sikh Coalition