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jathedar bhai sahib bhai sukhdev singh ji babbar
Posted by: tarlochan singh manjh (IP Logged)
Date: September 23, 2007 10:32AM

Jathedar Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar (Part 1)
Wednesday 8th of August 2007
Bhai Zorawar Singh



Shaheed Jathedar Sukhdev Singh Babbar was the iconic leader of the Khalistan movement between 1978 to 1992. He ranked among senior Generals like Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwale, Bhai Avtar Singh Brahma and Baba Manochal. However his impact was legendary, and was considered the backbone of the struggle. Such was the calibre of this Gursikh, that everyone referred to him as The Jathedar. (one and only).

This is his story

Taking Amrit

Shaheed Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar was born on 9th August 1955 in the house of Sardar Jind Singh and Mata Harnam Kaur, in the village Dhassuwal. This is in the Amritsar area of Punjab. Bhai Sahib had three brothers, Angrej Singh, Rashal Singh, Mehal Singh, and three sisters, Swaran kaur, Charan kaur, and Jeet Kaur.

Bhai Sahib studied till level 8 in Punjab. He worked on his own land as a farmer with his brothers. From an early age, Bhai Sahib had a religious mind, and a warrior spirit. Bhai Sahib met Jathedar Bhai Fauja Singh (Shaheed). He was highly impressed by Jathedar Fauja Singh, and with his guidance took Amrit at an Akhand Kirtani Jatha Smagam in 1977. Both became inseparable friends.

Many youth were highly influenced by Jathedar Bhai Fauja Singh. Not only Bhai Sukhdev Singh, but Bhai Anokh Singh, Bhai Wadhawa Singh, Bhai Sulakhan Singh, and countless others Great Sikhs were students at Bhai Fauja Singhs Khalsa Farm, where they undertook Spiritual education and Gathka education in a camp-like atmosphere. It was at this camp, that the ideologue by which all these Singh lived their lives was instilled. Bhai Fauja Singh taught the Gursikhs that doing Naam Simran, Paath, Kirtan was just as important as becoming fearless Sons of Sahib Siri Guru Gobind Singh.

Vaisakhi 1978

Bhai Sahib wed Bibi Sukhwant Kaur in an Anand Karaj Ceremony on Vaisakhi, 13th April 1978. After the wedding, the couple arrived back at their house to receive distressing news. On the sacred land of Amritsar, a new-age sect called Nakli Narankaries had mercilessly killed 13 Sikhs protesting against their anti-Sikh activities. A further 150 Sikhs had been injured. From the 13, many close companions of Bhai Sahib had been Shaheed, including Jathedar Fauja Singh. Bhai Sahib was greatly shaken by this event. Early the next morning, he caught a bus for Amritsar, and after the Saskar (funeral) of the 13 Gursikhs, he returned a changed person.

The Punjab Government brought a murder case against the leader of the Nirankaries called Gurbachana. However this case was intentionally moved from Punjab to Karnal, in Haryana. This sect called Nirankaries enjoyed the patronage of Indira Gandhi, who wished to use it to destroy the strangehold of Akali party control in Punjab. She viewed Sikhs as the biggest threat to her ambitions of power. They were the only group who would be prepared to raise their voice against her. Hence she devised many strategies to weaken Sikhs internally and externally. The Nirankaries were part of this plan.

Parkash Badal, the leader of the Akali Dal in Punjab, was also secretly helping Gurbachana. Praksah Badal`s role in the History of Punjab has been very dubious, and it can be stated he has been the Sikh version of Gangu Brahmin, who sent many Khalsa youth to their deaths. Parkash Badal further ensured that Gurbachana walked free from the courts. Previously it had been Parkash Badal who had smuggled Gurbachana out of Punjab on the night of the murders on Vaisakhi 1978.

Youth Get Organised

The charismatic leader of the Damdami Taksal, Baba Jarnail Bhindranwale was infuriated by this. He also held Jathedar Fauja Singh in high esteem. He called for Sikhs nationwide to oppose all Nirankari activities.

Bhai Sukhdev Singh was by nature very quiet, and very spiritually inclined. But at the same time he was also a man of action. He had realised while these Nirankaries enjoyed the patronage of Indira Gandhi, Sikhs would never get justice for the murder of Gursikhs. By now a further 13 Gursikhs had been killed in Kanpur by Nirankaries, and also two in Delhi. Another close associate of Bhai Sahib, and very spiritual Gursikh, Bhai Jagjit Singh was one of those Shaheed in Kanpur.

In a quiet manner, with the help of Bhai Anokh Singh, Bhai Sulakhan Singh and Bhai Amarjit Singh Daheru, they began plotting and assassinating the leadership of the Nirankaris. Gurbachana had held himself up as a modern Guru Gobind Singh ji, to infuriate Sikhs. As Sikhism had Panj Pyares (5 beloveds) , the Nirankaris set up their Sat Sitares (7 stars). Bhai Sukhdev Singh began with them, and completely annihilated the Nirankari leadership. The main target was always Gurbachana, but he eluded them yet.

Bhai Sukhdev Singh always lead from the front. He was involved in every action, and always behaved to highest ideals of the Khalsa.

However the Indian Security Forces, and right-wing Hindu groups were providing protection to the Nirankaries, and also helping them hunt young Sikhs who were standing up to the Nirankaries.

The trail led them to the house of Bhai Amarjit Singh Daheru. He was a very Chardi Kala Gursikh, who was providing all the Sikh youth with weapons training. His house was surrounded by the Punjab Police and Security Forces. Bhai Sahib was very skilled in fighting. He wanted to make sure he was not caught, because he did not want the youth he had trained to be exposed. So he fought with great courage. When he was eventually Shaheed, his Singhni demonstrated how miraculous Guru Ji`s daughters are.. She single-handedly fought the Police and Security Forces for 48 hours. Only when all her ammunition finished did she also attain Shaheedi.

 



Re: jathedar bhai sahib bhai sukhdev singh ji babbar
Posted by: Khalsaspirit (IP Logged)
Date: September 24, 2007 09:00AM

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

Khalsa jio,

Good effort to remember great GurSikh of Sikh history. Just our benti to all Singhs who writes the Sikh history online that as this is a great fact that Panth never been the same after the MASSACERE OF 1978 so whenever referring to this incident, we think it is always a good idea to brief what Gurbachna was doing in Amritsar on that they. The reason we are asking this that most of youth today who knows about 1978 Massacre most of them do not exactly but Gurbachna was doing. So it good to include always that

"On that day Gurbachna the self claimed Nirankari (considered himself GOD) was marching in the streets of Amritsar ( the Sikh Sacred land) sitting on intentionally designed float with his chair raised above the other holy Granths (books) of different religions which includes Kuran Shareef, Holy Bible, Bhagvat Geeta and the living Guru for a Sikh Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Seeing this incident naturally it is intolerable to any religious person especially for a Sikh that anyone sitting above the Guru Sahib by claiming himself GOD and also targeting other Sikh principles"

Some thing similar wordings (as we are not writers just an idea) can be used to brief so that every time new generation ( Sikh or non Sikh) reads some thing about this incident should know exactly why this happened.

Guru Mehar Karay

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

 



Re: jathedar bhai sahib bhai sukhdev singh ji babbar
Posted by: tarlochan singh manjh (IP Logged)
Date: September 25, 2007 04:47PM

Forming of the Jathebandi

The Shaheedi of Bhai Amerjit Singh Daheru led the Indian Security Services to realise that many of the actions against the Nakli Nirankaries, had not been done by Sant Jarnail Singh, as they had widely began to demonise him in the national press. Instead they had been done by a small group of organised underground youth from the Akhand Kirtani Jatha. Therefore they began rounding up Sikhs at Akhand Kirtani Jatha smagams.

Bhai Sukhdev Singh greatly felt this. He did not want elderly highly spiritual Sikhs to be harassed in police cells. They went to smagams for Gurbani Rass, and they should not be treated wrongly.



At this time, Bhai Sahib read a book by Giani Tarlok Singh. It was called Babbar de Vithaya, Golee Chalde Rahe, (Legend of the Babbar keep the bullets firing). It was a novel about Babbar Akali movement against the British Raj in India. It had stories about the Great Sikh, Shaheed Bhai Kishan Singh Babbar and his companions. During the Indian Independence movement, they fought against the British Raj, their cruel officers, their touts, spies, Jagirdars, etc, in a guerrilla campaign with amazing feats. Bhai Sukhdev Singh saw this as a model which could be used effectively to organise modern youth.

In 1981, a meeting of active Sikh youth warriors was called. It was announced that the Sikh Youth fighting the Nirankaries was not the Akhand Kirtani Jatha. This was to ensure harassment of elders stopped. Instead this was a new separate organisation called Babbar Khalsa.

The Babbar Khalsa was a gupt underground organisation. The Singhs in India felt the Jathedar needs to be active on a front-line level. Someone who knows the workings of India and could affect things on the front-line, and inspire the youth to be better Gursikhs.

There was no-one more front-line than Bhai Sukhdev Singh. It was unanimously decided by the youth that the Jathedar would be Bhai Sukhdev Singh. Other deputy Jathedars were also chosen. They were Bhai Anokh Singh, Bhai Sulakhan Singh, and Bhai Wadhawa Singh.

Every member of this Jathebandie must be Amritdhari, and strict in Amrit vela and Sikh code of conduct. They must be knowledge and practicing in Gurbani recitation. They must have memorised all the Nitnem, to ensure it is not missed, even in the heart of battle. They must be regular in Sangatee Seva, like cleaning shoes, so they always remain humble. Anyone who tries to destroy the Sikh religion or Nation would be opposed and eliminated by Babbars. To ensure they are capable of doing this seva, they must be abyassi, humble and always lead a Pure Gurmat lifestyle. Communications by Babbar khalsa would be via a magazine called Vangaar, which would have their missions documented and current news.

False Encounters Begin

When Babbar Khalsa became announced, its enemies in the form of Indian Security Services, Right-wing Hindus and the Nakli Nirankaries, now had a visible enemy to track down. No longer was it a case of a handful of Sikh youth among thousands, but specifically hunting Babbars, as well as the Gursikhs with Sant Jarnail Singh ji.

A key Babbar Khalsa activist who was very active in the universities of Punjab was Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke. He was a very strict Sarbloh Bebeki Singh, a fearless fighter, and someone who did a lot of Parchaar to take young Punjabis away from intoxicants, and make them Khalsas.

After a successful action against anti-Panthik forces, the trail followed by Police led to his arrest. He was severely tortured by the Security Services desperate for information on Babbar Khalsa. Bhai Kulwant Singh revealed nothing, and became the first Sikh youth to be Shaheed in police cells from torture. The dawn of the false encounter had arrived.

Sant Jarnail Singh ji had by now become a pivitol figure in India. The murder of Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke, and many other injustices, false cases against Sikhs, rape of Sikh girls, etc, led him to now openly speak on stages against the Indira Gandhi Government. His Dharam Yudh Morcha had gained a lot of momentum, and he was inspiring youth throughout Punjab to take Amrit. However his speeches documenting human rights abuses against Sikhs were by now seen to be shaking the foundations at Delhi.

By now, the Babbar Khalsa had hatched a successful plan to assassinate Gurbachana. A young Sikh carpenter called Ranjit Singh gained a job in his house in Delhi doing general building work. At the most opportune time, Bhai Ranjit Singh with some associates killed Gurbachana as he got out of his car, which had returned home from a rally. They then escaped by jumping a very high wall, when hunted by Police. Bhai Ranjit Singh was later arrested and sentenced to long term imprisonment, then released as the Jathedar of Akal Thakht Sahib.

to be continued....

 



Re: jathedar bhai sahib bhai sukhdev singh ji babbar
Posted by: babbarsingh (IP Logged)
Date: October 02, 2007 08:52PM

Without offending the kurbani of Shaheed Sukhdev Singh, he did not join Babbar Khalsa until 1981. He was never involved in the forming of this jathedbandi. It was actually Bhai Vadawa Singh that brought Sukhdev Singh into Babbar Khalsa (which had been formed in Canada in 1979). Just thought the sangat would be interested in knowing this information.

 





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