Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 12, 1947 |
| Died | June 6, 1984 (aged 37) |
| Occupation | Jathedar of Damdami Taksal |
| Spouse | Pritam Kaur |
| Children | Ishar Singh and Inderjit Singh[1] |
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| Sikhism |
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Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale or Jarnail Singh (Brar) (Punjabi: ਜਰਨੈਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭਿੰਡਰਾਂਵਾਲੇ; February 12, 1947–June 6, 1984) was the leader of the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh religious group based in India.[2] Bhindranwale carried influence among some Sikhs in Punjab. He tried to spread the original values of Sikhism and persuaded young people to follow the original rules and tenets of the religion. He was known for his support for the creation of the proposed Sikhism-based theocratic state of Khalistan.[3] In 1981, Bhidranwale was arrested for his suspected involvement in the murder of Jagat Narain, the proprietor of the Hind Samachar Group. He willingly surrendered to police but was later released due to lack of evidence, however, Bhindranwale was kept on close watch by Indian police officials. Bhindranwale is more notable for his involvement in Operation Blue Star in which he and other militants occupied the Akal Takht complex, including the Golden Temple, in Amritsar.[4] He was killed by the Indian Army, who had orders from Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to remove all Sikh militants inside the sacred temple. Since his death, Bhindranwale has remained a controversial figure in Indian history. Some view him as a martyr who was fighting for the best interests of Sikhs, and others see him as a militant and an extremist.[2]
Early life
Bhindranwale was born in the village of Rode, in the Faridkot District of Punjab, India. His father, Joginder Singh, was a farmer and a local Sikh leader.[1] Jarnail Singh was the seventh of eight brothers. As a child he was hyperactive and antisocial. He was brought up as a strict vegetarian[5] and was of the Jat caste. He was described by BBC south Asian journalist, Mark Tully[neutrality is disputed] as "not being very intelligent".[6] He dropped out of school at an early age and took up farming instead. In 1965, he joined the Damdami Taksal, a religious school, near Moga, Punjab, then headed by Gurbachan Singh Khalsa.[1] After a one year course in Sikh studies he again went back to farming. He married Pritam Kaur, daughter of Sucha Singh of Bilaspur.[1] His wife bore him two sons, Ishar and Inderjit Singh, in 1971 and 1975, respectively.[1] Pritam Kaur died of heart ailment at age 60, on September 15, 2007 in Jalandhar.[7]
Rise to popularity
In Punjab, Bhindranwale went from village to village as a religious missionary talking with Sikhs. He asked Sikhs to live according to the rules and tenets of Sikhism. He would give long speeches and encourage numerous youths to take Amrit, the holy nectar. Bhindranwale preached to young Sikh men who had lost their path, encouraging them to return to his path of Khalsa by giving up vices like sex, drugs, addictions, etc. His focus on fighting for some cause made him a hero in the eyes of young Sikhs. The successor to Gurbachan Singh Khalsa, Kartar Singh Khalsa, who died in a road accident on August 16, 1977, mentioned Bhidranwale as being the new leader of the Damdami Taksal.[1] Bhidranwale was formally elected at a bhog ceremony at Mehta Chowk on August 25, 1977.[1]
Politics and movement for Khalistan
In response to questions about his political ambitions Bhindranwale once said:
If I ever become president of the Akali Dal or the S.G.P.C. [Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee], an M.L.A., a government minister, or a member of parliament...I shall deserve a shoe-beating by you.[8][9]
Despite these statements, Bhindranwale participated in some behind-the-scene political work. In 1979, Bhindranwale put up forty candidates in the SGPC elections for a total of 140 seats, all but four were defeated.[10] A year later, Bhindranwale campaigned actively for Congress in three constituencies' during the general elections.[11] Due to his lack of success in election politics, Bhindranwale did not personally seek any political offices. As stated in a 1984 Time Magazine article, Bhindranwale had become so popular that he had usurped the authority of the Shiromani Akali Dal, a Punjab-based Sikh political party.[12] Bhindranwale wielded a great deal of power and the political factions in Punjab did not make commit any major action without thinking about Bhindranwale's response.[13]
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 the formation of Khalistan he is quoted as saying, "We won't reject it. We shall not repeat 1947."[14] To which he added, "if the Indian Government invaded the Darbar Sahib complex, the foundation for an independent Sikh state will have been laid."[15]
Role in the militancy
On April 13, 1978, a few GurSikhs of Akhand Kirtani Jatha went to protest against Nirankaris. The confrontation led to the murder of thirteen members of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and three Nirankaris. The victims were implicated. This infuriated Sikhs further. On April 24, 1980, the leader of Nirankaris, Gurbachan Singh, was killed. The FIR named nearly twenty people involved in the murder, most of whom had ties to Bhindranwale.[16] 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 sentenced to serve thirteen years at the Tihar Jail. Bhindranwale was later released due to absence of evidence.
On September 9, 1981, Jagat Narain, the proprietor of the Hind Samachar Group, was shot dead near the Amaltas Motel.[5] Jagat Narain was a prominent opponent of Bhindranwale.He was present during the clash that occurred between Nirankaris and Akhand Kirtni Jatha Members, and stood witness at the Karnal Trial, in favour of the accused.[17] 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.[18] On September 20, 1981, Bhindranwale surrendered to the police at a function held in a Gurudwara Gurdarshan Parkash.[19] Over the next twenty-five 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.[20]
Sanctuary in the Golden Temple
In 1982 Bhindranwale took shelter large group of his armed followers, into a guest house called the Guru Nanak Niwas, in the precincts of the Golden Temple.[5] On December 15, 1983, Bhindranwale was forced out of Guru Nanak Niwas by Babbar Khalsa organization, who then moved into the temple compound itself. The temple complex was fortified and light machine-guns and sophisticated self-loading rifles were brought in.[16] Mark Tully and Satish Jacob wrote, "All ... terrorists were known by name to the shopkeepers and the householders who live in the narrow alleys surrounding the Golden Temple. ... The Punjab police must have known who they were also, but they made no attempt to arrest them. By this time Bhindranwale and his men were above the law."[21]
Death
On June 3, 1984 Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi initiated Operation Blue Star and ordered the Indian Army to surround the Golden Temple complex to remove militants from the complex and to eliminate the sikh faith as she saw them as a threat. It was widely reported that Bhindranwale did not survive the operation and is thus regarded as a martyr by some Sikhs.
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 Sikh fighters in the Army's custody.[22] Bhindranwale's brother is also reported to have identified Bhindranwale's body.[23] 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 body during his funeral.
People who maintain that he survived the operation include Dilbir Singh, the Public Relations Advisor at Guru Nanak Dev University.[24] He stated that Bhindranwale was injured on the right side of his temple. He stated, "a government doctor verified he was captured alive. He was tortured to death."[25][26] R.K. Bajaj, a correspondent for Surya magazine, claimed to have seen a photograph of Bhindranwale in custody.[27] This claim is strongly contested, especially by Bhindranwale's son who has now become a prominent figure within Sikh politics. Some within the Damdami Taksal claimed he is still alive.[24][2] However, Jarnail Singh was pronounced a martyr by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee at a function in 2003.[28]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Singh, Sandeep. "Saint Jarnail Singh Bhindrenwale (1947 - 1984)". Sikh-history.com. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
- ^ a b c Lamba, Puneet Singh (2004-06-06). "Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale: Five Myths". The Sikh Times. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Joshi, Chand (1985). Bhindranwale: Myth and Reality. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. pp. p129. ISBN 0706926943.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ Kaur, Naunidhi (2004-06-03). "Flashbacks: Golden Temple attack". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-03-28.
- ^ a b c Singh, Tavleen (2002-01-14). "An India Today-100 People Who Shaped India". India Today. Retrieved 2006-10-28.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Tully, Mark; Satish Jacob (1985). Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi's Last Battle. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., p113. ISBN 0224023284
- ^ "Bhindranwale's widow dead". The Tribune. 2007-09-16. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Sandhu, Ranbir Singh (1999). Struggle for Justice: Speeches and Conversations of Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale. Dublin, Ohio: Sikh Educational & Religious Foundation. pp. p285. ISBN 0967287405.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ Tully, Mark (1985). Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi's Last Battle. New Delhi: Rupa & Co. pp. p113. ISBN 0224023284.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Unknown parameter|authorlinks=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Singh, Khushwant (2005). A History of the Sikhs: Volume II: 1839-2004. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. pp. p332. ISBN 0195673093.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help) - ^ Tully (1985), p177.
- ^ Lopez, Laura (1984). "India, Diamonds and the Smell of Death". Time (June 25, 1984).
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Robin, Jeffrey (1994). What's Happening to India? (2 ed.). New York: Holmes & Meier Publishing. pp. p146-147. ISBN 0841913501.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help) - ^ Sandhu (1999), pLVI.
- ^ Sandhu (1999), pLVII.
- ^ a b Sandhu, Ranbir S. (1997-05). "Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale - Life, Mission, and Martyrdom" (PDF). Sikh Educational and Religious Foundation. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Jalandhri, Surjeet (1984). Bhindranwale Sant. Jalandhar: Punjab Pocket Books. p. 25.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^
Chowla, K.S. (2003-10-18). "Tributes to a peacemaker". The Tribune. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Jalandhri, Surjeet (1984). Bhindranwale Sant. Jalandhar: Punjab Pocket Books. p. 53.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Tully (1985), p69.
- ^ Tully and Jacob, p94.
- ^ Brar, K. S. (1993). Operation Blue Star: The True Story. New Delhi: UBS Publishers. pp. p114. ISBN 8185944296.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help) - ^ Akbar, M. J. (1996). India: The Siege Within: Challenges to a Nation's Unity. New Delhi: UBS Publishers. pp. p196. ISBN 8174760768.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help) - ^ a b Kaur, Naunidhi (2001-06-23). "The enigma of Bhindranwale". Frontline. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Pettigrew, Joyce (1995). The Sikhs of the Punjab: Unheard Voices of State and Guerrilla Violence. London: Zed Books. pp. p34-35. ISBN 1856493555.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help) - ^ Pettigrew (1995), p51.
- ^ Jaijee, Inderjit Singh (1999). Politics of Genocide: Punjab (1984-1998). New Delhi: Ajanta Publications. pp. p59. ISBN 8120204158.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help) - ^ "Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale: Unclear Legacy". The Indian Express. 2003-06-09. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)
sant ji has been portrayed in an terrorist mannor because of the indian goverment. however he was proven not to be a terrorist but just an innocent sikh leader fighting the opression and the dictorship of indra gandhi. this is not known in the western world but is the truth.
External links
- From Bhindranwale to Bin Laden: The Rise of Religious Violence
- June 6, 1984 BBC broadcast of Indian troops raiding the Golden Temple
- [Why Osama resembles Bhindranwale
- Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale: Five Myths
- Video of Bhindranwale speech from July 19, 1983 with English subtitles
- "Oh, That Other Hindu Riot of Passage - an article by Khushwant Singh
- Knights of Falsehood - by K.P.S. Gill, former D.G.P. Punjab
