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MISCONCEPTION

ABOUT

SANT JARNAIL SINGH KHALSA

BHINDRANWALE



Introduction

Terrorists: Flushed-Out or Sent In?

(i) Was Sant Jarnail Singh a Terrorist?

(ii) Was the Attack a Last Resort?

(iii) !ecution o" the Attack

Illegal Wea#ons

(i) Wea#ons in Sikhis$

(ii) Sanctit% o" &urd'aras

(iii) ollection o" Wea#ons

Adocating *iolence

Religious or +olitical Figure

+olitical Se#aratis$: ,halistan

Agent o" ongress or +akistan

(i) Links 'ith +akistan

(ii) Agent o" ongress

Threat to ,ill indus

The .What i"?/ 0uestion

Last Words

1otes and Re"erences



Introduction

Sant Jarnail Singh 2hindran'ale is an iconic 3gure 'hose na$e is 'ell kno'n

to Sikhs 'orld'ide4 e is re$e$5ered as a true Sikh6 saint6 'arrior6 u#holder

o" 7ustice and a $art%r4 is e!tensie #reaching o" the Sikh religion6 s#eeches

on #olitics and e!#osing the 5ar5arit% o" the Indian goern$ent earned hi$"a$e 'ithin Sikh circles4 e 'as looked u#on as a leader o" the Sikhs 'ho had

re$inded the$ o" their glorious #ast6 great sacri3ces and 5old "eats o"

destro%ing o##ression6 t%rann% and in7ustice4 is 'ords kindled and

a'akened the inner s#irits o" the Sikhs and caused the$ to reali8e their

#olitical and religious slaer% at the hands o" the Indian goern$ent4 The

re$inder o" Sikh histor% and religious tenets ins#ired the Sikh #eo#le to

5eco$e true "ollo'ers o" their "aith4 +eo#le started to a5andon drinking6

s$oking6 cutting their hair and $an% other i$$oral #ractices4 There 'as

'ides#read ado#tion o" the Sikh religion4 All o" this6 ho'eer6 did not at all

suit those 'ho 'ere keen on seeing the co$#lete do'n"all o" the Sikhs andtheir co$#lete a$alga$ation into the "olds o" induis$4

In order to destro% and su5due the Sikh $oe$ent9 it 5eca$e a #ertinent

task "or the goern$ent to eli$inate Sant Jarnail Singh as 'ell as crush the

Sikh a'akening4 As a result6 an attack 'as launched under the na$e o"

O#eration 2lue Star in 'hich holiest shrine o" the Sikhs6 ar5ar Sahi5 (Sri

ar$andar Sahi56 Sri Akal Takhat Sahi5 and other #laces in the icinit%) as

'ell as tens o" Sikh &urd'aras 'ere attacked4 Sant Jarnail Singh and $an% o"

his co$#anions 5eca$e $art%rs de"ending the hol% #lace4 Thousands o" Sikh

isitors 'ere killed and thousands 'ere taken #risoners4 Sikh Re"erence

Li5rar% containing rare $anuscri#ts6 histor% 5ooks and literature 'asdestro%ed4 The a$ount o" da$age caused to the Sikh religion 'as i$$ense4

It 'as an attack on Sikh s#irit and sought to instill "ear in the hearts o" Sikhs

'ith the intention o" coercing the$ into acce#ting the rule o" the Indian

goern$ent and "orsaking their "reedo$4 It 'as no less than a holocaust4

o'eer6 the Indian goern$ent 'ith the hel# o" its #aid 'riters and $edia

resorted to #ro#aganda to sae its "ace and 7usti"% its heinous cri$es44 2eing

the #ro#onents o" the goern$ent6 #aid 'riters 'rote scores o" 5ooks and

articles to $align the na$e o" Sant Jarnail Singh 5% #ortra%ing hi$ as a

terrorist6 and a iolent and dangerous $an4 ;an% e!cuses 'ere deised to

$isre#resent the Sikh $oe$ent and 7usti"% the attack and atrocitiesco$$itted 5% the Indian $ilitar%4 As the co$$on sa%ing goes6 re#eat a lie

o"ten enough and #eo#le 'ill 5eliee it < unin"or$ed #eo#le6 including so$e

Sikhs ignorant o" the true "acts6 5egan to 5eliee the lies o" the goern$ent4

There"ore6 the #ur#ose o" this article is to re"ute $isconce#tions a5out Sant

Jarnail Singh6 e!a$ine $an% o" the #ro#aganda theories #ut "orth 5% the

goern$ent agents6 5ring the actual "acts to the li$elight and sho' that it



'as in "act the Indian $ilitar% that 'as iolent6 aggressie and terroristic4

Terrorists !"us#ed$Out or Sent In%

First and the $ost co$$onl% heard $isconce#tion is that the Indian

goern$ent attacked ar5ar Sahi5 to =ush out the >terrorists> 'ho had 5een$isusing the hol% #lace4

The a5oe stated $isconce#tion is a #re#osterous clai$ 'ithout an% relia5le

su##orting eidence4 Our res#onse to this $isconce#tion is a three #art

anal%sis: i) e!a$ine 'hether Sant Jarnail Singh and his co$#anions 'ere

terrorists or 'hether the% 'ere hiding inside the hol% #lace9 ii) 'hether the

attack 'as a last resort9 and iii) ho' the attack 'as carried out4

&i' W(s S(nt J(rn(i" Sin)# ( Terrorist%

Sant Jarnail Singh neer resorted to iolence nor did he #reach or adocate

iolence in his s#eeches4 There is no record o" hi$ 5eing arrested under an%

terrorist la's o" Indian onstitution nor charged "or an% iolent or cri$inal

actiit%4 An%ti$e he 'as arrested on "alse charges6 the goern$ent had to

release hi$ "or lack o" eidence and 'itnesses against hi$4

Sant Jarnail Singh 2hindran'ale6 the ar$%/s $ain target had 5een arrested

and 'as in goern$ent custod% $onths 5e"ore the attack4 o' could the

attack 5e 'arranted on the grounds that the goern$ent had to arrest Sant

Jarnail Singh 2hindran'ale 'hen he 'as alread% in their custod% $onths

5e"ore6 and 'as released 5% the Indian &oern$ent 'ithout an% charges? At

the ti$e o" his arrest he 'as carr%ing 'ea#ons4 Wh% 'as he then released?At one ti$e 'hen the #olice $ade an announce$ent to arrest hi$6 he

#eace"ull% co$#lied and #resented hi$sel" along 'ith his @ co$#anions to

the e#ut% o$$issioner4 Surel%6 he 'ould hae #resented hi$sel" in the

sa$e $anner had another 'arrant 5een released4 en i" 'e assu$e that

such a 'arrant 'as released6 there is no eidence to suggest that Sant Jarnail

Singh re"used to #resent hi$sel"4 Additionall%6 the goern$ent "ailed to

a##roach Sikh leaders or seek hel# o" Sikh organi8ations to conince Sant

Jarnail Singh to #resent hi$sel"4 The S&+ (Shiro$ani &urd'ara +ar5andhak

o$$ittee) $anage$ent o" ar5ar Sahi5 des#eratel% asked the goern$ent

on a nu$5er o" occasions to #roduce a list o" #eo#le the% 'anted to ca#ture

so that the $anage$ent could take action and #reent an% ar$%interention4 o'eer the Indian authorities re"used and "ailed to do this

des#ite it 5eing an o#tion to #reent an assault4

Further$ore Sant Jarnail Singh and his co$#anions did not re$ain in the

ar5ar Sahi5 co$#le! B hours a da%6 5ut "reel% traeled +un7a5 and the

surrounding areas on a dail% 5asis4 e 'as easil% accessi5le 5% #ress



re#orters and 7ournalists4 I" these #eo#le needed to 5e ca#tured 'h% did the

ar$% 'ith all its 'ea#ons o" destruction enter the ar5ar Sahi5 killing

innocent 'orshi##ers caught in the cross3re6 'hen the% could hae easil%

assassinated or arrested Sant Jarnail Singh and his associates at an% ti$e

outside the te$#le co$#le!? Also6 Sant Jarnail Singh 'as not charged 'ith

cri$es or terrorist actiit% neither did he hae an outstanding arrest 'arrant"ro$ 'hich he 'as hiding or atte$#ting to a5scond4 India Toda% re#orted in

ece$5er CDE that a senior oGcer in handigarh con"essed:

ItHs reall% shocking that 'e hae so little against hi$ 'hile 'e kee# 5la$ing

hi$ "or all sorts o" things*+,-

Further$ore6 &urde Singh6 istrict o$$issioner at A$ritsar until shortl%

5e"ore the inasion is on record as haing assured the &oernor o" the State

that he could arrest an%one in ar5ar Sahi5 at an% ti$e4+.- e $ade

re#eated #leas to the goern$ent not to take an% aderse ar$% action

against ar5ar Sahi5 5ut alas6 no one #aid attention to his reuests *+/-

Accordin) to Arun S#ourie0

For all I kno'6 he is co$#letel% innocent and is genuinel% and e!clusiel%

dedicated to the teachings o" the &urus*+1-

It is thus #roen "ro$ the a5oe #resented eidence that Sant Jarnail Singh

'as not a terrorist4 e neer engaged in an% terrorist actiit%4 is #ersona

and #reaching led to a reial o" the Sikh "aith a$ongst the $asses6 this had

created a "ear in the $inds o" the indus and the% 'ere 'illing to go an%

length to silence hi$4

&ii' W(s t#e Att(c2 ( L(st Resort%

The goern$ent 'ould hae us 5eliee that the attack 'as a last resort

5ecause the Sikhs had "orti3ed the hol% #lace 'ith illegal ar$a$ents and the

goern$ent 'as thus le"t 'ith no alternatie and "orced to stor$ the holiest

o" Sikh shrines in order to ca#ture so$e $ilitants4 o'eer6 the realit% is

contrar% to this4 Retired Lt-&eneral S4, Sinha6 a directl% inoled and high-

ranking ar$% leader o" the ti$e6 re#orted in the S#okes$an ne's#a#er:

The ar$% action 'as not a last resort as +ri$e ;inister Indira &andhi 'ould

hae us 5eliee4 It had 5een in her $ind "or $ore than CE $onths4 The ar$%had 5egun rehearsals o" a co$$ando attack near hakrata anton$ent in

the oon *alle%6 'here a co$#lete re#lica o" the &olden Te$#le co$#le! had

5een 5uilt*+3- (5old ours)

&eneral S4 ,4 Sinha "urther states in the sa$e interie' that to'ards the end

o" CDEC6 he receied a call "ro$ so$eone in elhi in"or$ing hi$ o" the

goern$ent/s decision to attack ar5ar Sahi5*+4- This $akes it clear that the



decision to attack ar5ar Sahi5 had 5een $ade at least t'o and a hal" %ears

#rior to e!ecution and its #re#arations had 5egun $ore than CE $onths #rior4

&eneral S4 ,4 Sinha o#enl% ad$its that he had adised Indira &andhi against

the o#eration+5-* For this6 he had to #a% the hea% #rice o" "orced retire$ent6

u#on 'hich he 'as su#erseded 5% Indira &andhi/s #ersonall% a##ointed&eneral A4S4 *aid%a 'ho 'as then instructed 'ith #lanning and leading

O#eration 2lue Star4

o' can the iolent $ilitar% strike 5e de"ensi5le on the grounds that $ilitants

'ere #resent in the te$#le 'hen all the "acts6 including state$ents "ro$

high-ranking Indian Ar$% oGcials6 sho' that an attack 'as 5eing #lanned

since CDEC? At this $o$ent in ti$e6 Jarnail Singh 2hindran'ale or other so-

called $ilitants 'ere not een inside the co$#le!4 In ie' o" $ilitar%

#re#arations6 no honest and true Sikh 'ould sit around un#re#ared to let an

ene$% attack his hol% #lace4 When so$eone kno's that his house 'ill 5e

attacked6 he $akes adeuate #re#arations to de"end it4 1o deout Sikh 'ouldeer tolerate or allo' a $ilitar% action against the er% heart o" Sikhis$4 It is

an attack on the dignit%6 honor and #restige o" the Sikhs4

According to S&+ Secretar% 2han Singh6 "orti3cation o" the hol% #lace 5egan

"ro$ Fe5ruar% C6 CDEB a"ter R+F and 2order Securit% Force (2SF) units had

resorted to un#rooked 3ring and had 5egun conerting the 5uildings on the

#eri#her% o" the te$#le into 5unkers and "ortresses4 There"ore6 the action o"

the Sikhs 'as a 7ust res#onse to the #roocation #roided 5% goern$entHs

$ilitar% "orces*+6-

I" the goern$ent had 5een true to its role and had een a shred o" honest% itcould hae easil% aerted all the iolence and reached a settle$ent 'ith the

Sikhs4 Recounting the da%s o" CDEB Ra7inder +uri e!#lains that the

goern$ent could Keasil% settle the dis#ute i" it 'anted to *+7-

The Indian &oern$ent used no di#lo$atic $eans o" negotiating 'ith the

Sikhs to tr% and $ake the$ eacuate the hol% #lace as other goern$ents

hae done6"or e!a$#le: the Israeli ar$% 'aited "or oer a $onth 'hile

e$#lo%ing di#lo$ac% and re#ose"ul negotiations to get oer @@ "ull% ar$ed

+alestinian $ilitants #eace"ull% out o" the hurch o" 1atiit%4 Wh% 'as no

such di#lo$ac% used 5% the Indian &oern$ent to secure a #eace"ul resole

to the standoM6 considering thousands o" innocent $en6 'o$en and children'ere caught inside the co$#le!? ,uldi# 2rar sa%s6 KAn announce$ent 'as

$ade on the night o" June rd giing the chance to #ilgri$s to esca#e4 +,8N

e ho'eer "ails to $ention the "act that des#ite the li"ting o" cur"e'6 the

#ilgri$s "aced nu$erous #ro5le$s4 It 'as dark and nightti$e4 Firing 5et'een

the ar$% and the Sikhs did not sto# and continued una5ated4 Tr%ing to

esca#e in the $iddle o" the night during hea% cross3re is a sure death 'hich



e!#lains 'h% $an% #ilgri$s chose to re$ain inside4 This 'as not the end o" it

"or the #ilgri$s4 2rar "urther reeals in the sa$e interie' that it 'as hard "or

the ar$% to distinguish 5et'een the $ilitants and #ilgri$s,,-* One cannot

5ut uestion the sincerit% o" 2rar as to 'h% the #ilgri$s 'ould risk esca#ing

7ust to 5e caught 5% the ar$% 'ho had no $eans o" distinguishing the$ "ro$

the so-called $ilitants? For the #ilgri$s6 it 'as either esca#ing in the $iddleo" cross 3ring and taking the risk o" getting arrested on the charge o"

terroris$ (or een killed) or re$aining sa"e inside the lodging roo$s4 The

latter 'as clearl% a sa"er o#tion4

The "acts actuall% tell a diMerent stor%4 According to $an% e%e'itnesses no

announce$ent 'as eer $ade 5% the ar$% and the ar$% also did not take

an% eMectie $easure to sa"eguards innocent #ilgri$s*+,.- The Indian ar$%

onl% "ollo'ed a hal"hearted atte$#t to negotiate a #eace"ul settle$ent "or a

"e' hours and 5egan the assault 'ith scores o" hea% artiller% shells 5eing

5lasted into the hol% shrine4 This raises serious concerns 'hen co$#aring

'ith ho' other goern$ents hae dealt 'ith si$ilar situations4 The Indian&oern$ent 'as hell-5ent on the attack and #re"erred a con=ict rather than

di#lo$ac%4 ence6 the attack 'as 5% no $eans a last resort4

The last and $ost i$#ortant uestion re$ains unans'ered 5% the

goern$ent #ro#onents is to 'h% the goern$ent chose the $art%rdo$ da%

o" &uru Ar7an e Ji6 one o" the $ost enerated hol% da%s6 as the da% o" the

attack 'hen thousands o" Sikh #ilgri$s isit the hol% #lace "ro$ +un7a5 as

'ell as a5road4 According to 2rar6 the ar$% 'as ordered to $oe in as soon

as #ossi5le other'ise it 'ould hae 5een too late and een harder to 5ring

the situation under control+,/N4 2rar tries to gie the i$#ression that the

attack 'as an i$#ro$#tu and sudden action6 rather than the $eticulousl%

#lanned and deli5erated o#eration it 'as9 sche$ed and drilled $onths and

%ears in adance4

2rar/s lies and irrationalit% cannot e!#lain 'h% the goern$ent could not 'ait

"or "e' $ore da%s seeing as the ar$% had alread% occu#ied the co$#le!

surroundings $onths earlier4 is lies stand e!#osed in the 'ritings o" ,uldi#

1a%ar6 an Indian 7ournalist and a $e$5er o" +un7a5 grou# in CDEB6 'ho

reeals that ,uldi# 2rar told hi$ haing receied orders "ro$ the Indian

goern$ent to undertake the o#eration 'eeks 5e"ore it actuall% took #lace*

+,1-

Indira &andhi tries to gie the si$ilar i$#ression during her teleision s#eech

deliered on June 6 CDEB 5% sa%ing Kon/t shed 5lood6 shed hatred9*+,3N

2ut neither she nor an% o" her acco$#lices eer #resented an% eidence to

#roe that Sant Ji or Sikhs "or that $atter 'ere shedding 5lood4 It is ridiculous

to $ake #retenses o" #eace and then launch a #re$editated large scale ar$%

action the er% ne!t da%4 It is not #lausi5le to think that the Indian



goern$ent #re#ared "or an assault o" such $agnitude 5% de#lo%ing

hundreds o" thousands o" ar$% $en eui##ed 'ith hea% artiller% and tanks

'ithout een an% rehearsal all 'ithin B hours4

The goern$ent could hae conenientl% chosen an% other da% to $ini$i8e

the casualties4 Instead6 the ar$% let thousands o" Sikhs asse$5le at the hol%#lace and then i$#osed cur"e' leaing the$ tra##ed inside to 5e killed in the

cross3re4 r4 A4 R4 arshi+,4- aGr$s our ie'#oint 5% stating:

The da% o" attack6 rd June CDEB6 'hich 'as 5eing o5sered as $art%rdo$

da% o" &uru Ar7an e Ji6 'as intentionall% chosen 5% Indira &andhi and her

indu goern$ent $ainl% "or t'o reasons4 Firstl%6 she 'anted to sho'

indignit% to the religious heritage o" the Sikhs and challenge their "aith4

Secondl%6 she 'anted to entra# and $assacre as $an% Sikhs as #ossi5le

5ecause the% had asse$5led there in large nu$5ers*+,5-

All o" these #oints #roe that the attack 'as #lanned ahead and its da% andti$e 'ere deli5eratel% chosen to tr% and gie a crushing 5lo' to the Sikh

s#irit4

&iii' E:ecution o; t#e Att(c2

When it co$es to ho' the attack 'as carried out and the eents that

occurred 5e"ore and a"ter the attack it leaes no dou5t that the attack 'as

not against the terrorists 5ut it 'as an attack e!ecuted 5% terrorists4

First and "ore$ost6 'hile Indira &andhi 'as deliering her s#eech o" kee#ing

#eace and seeking #eace"ul $ethods o" negotiation+,6-0 the ar$% had 5een

gien the order to e!ecute the o#eration4 As $entioned earlier6 a cur"e' 'asi$#osed on the 'hole o" +un7a54 lectricit% and #hone lines 'ere cut oM6

disconnecting +un7a5 "ro$ the rest o" the 'orld4 The #ro#aganda $inisters

(goern$ent re#orters) hae no ans'er as to 'h% the entire +un7a5 'as

sealed oM 'hen the so-called terrorists 'ere onl% Khiding inside the ar5ar

Sahi5 co$#le!4+,7N All o" the re#orters 'ere escorted out so that no un5iased

coerage o" the o#eration could 5e #u5lished or aired4+.8N Onl% goern$ent

#aid re#orters 'ere allo'ed to re$ain 5ehind in +un7a5 so that the

goern$ent could hae "ull control oer the $edia re#orting and the onl%

stor% co$ing out o" such coerage could 5e the oGcial stor% coered in lies6

#ro#aganda and deceit4 I" the goern$ent had 5een honest and true to itso'n sha$5olic #u5lic state$ents6 it 'ould hae allo'ed the $edia to "reel%

coer the eents as the% took #lace and re#ort the actual "acts4 This 'ould

hae #roed the goern$ent to 5e honest in its decisions and true to its 'ord

and deed4 Instead6 to the contrar%6 no "ree #ress 'as allo'ed and atte$#ts

'ere $ade to $ake the oGcial stor% the onl% stor%4

Further$ore6 the goern$ent/s theories do not hold to the rationalit% and



logic 'hen con"ronted 'ith the uestion o" 'h% thousands o" ar$% troo#ers

eui##ed 'ith hea% artiller%6 $achiner% and tanks 'ere sent to counter onl%

a hand"ul o" Sikhs carr%ing o5solete 'ea#ons4 The $odern 'ea#onr% used 5%

the ar$% is onl% #ut to use in a 'ar 'ith another countr%4 It is a5solutel%

astonishing that the goern$ent used its ar$%6 R+ (entral Resere +olice)

and 2SF to attack its o'n citi8ens 'ho 'ere no threat to the national securit%nor had an% de$and to se#arate "ro$ the Indian Pnion4

uring the o#eration6 tens o" other Sikh &urd'aras all oer +un7a5 'ere also

attacked in the sa$e $anner 'hen there 'ere no so-called terrorists hiding

in the$4 On the one hand the goern$ent and the indu $a7orit% consider

Sikhs as indus 5ut on the other hand6 the% attacked the Sikh &urd'aras

considering the$ as a se#arate grou#6 as terrorists and a threat to national

securit%4 There is not a single record o" Indian $ilitar% 5eing used to attack

an% o" the indu te$#les or to su5due an% indu terrorist grou#s4 This si$#l%

#oints out the sectarian $indset o" the Indian goern$ent4 Thousands o"

Sikhs 'ere killed during the o#eration4 +ilgri$s 'ere locked u# in the roo$sand then set on 3re4 ;an% 'ere "orced to stare to death4 Others 'ere "orced

to lie on the hot =oor o" the #arikar$a (surrounding 'alk'a%9 $ade o" $ar5le

that gets e!tre$el% hot in su$$er sunshine)4 Sikhs 'ere 5eaten6 a5used and

$altreated4 Their hands 'ere tied 5ehind their 5acks 'ith their o'n tur5ans4

Wo$en 'ere ra#ed4 In"ants 'ere gra55ed "ro$ the 5oso$s o" their $others

and thro'n against the 'alls or into the saroar (nectar #ool)4 According to

one e%e'itness Sikh6 the ar$% thre' grenades on the #ilgri$s resulting in

$an% casualties and deaths4 This Sikh/s in"ant son/s head 'as 5lo'n oM 'hile

sitting in his $other/s la# and then his 'i"e 'as shot dead 5% the ar$%CN4

Sikhs 'ere lined u# and shot dead in cold 5lood4 The cold-5looded genocideo" $en6 'o$an and children in the te$#le is e!#ressed in the inde#endent

re#orts 5elo':

A doctor dra"ted in 5% the ar$% to conduct e!a$inations6 re#orted ho'

KSikhs had 5een shot at #oint 5lank range 'ith their hands tied 5ehind their

5acks 'ith their tur5ans4 It 'as a irtual $assacre 'ith a large nu$5er o"

'o$an6 children and #ilgri$s 5eing gunned do'n9*+..-

On Sunda%6 ;edical 'orkers in A$ritsar said Soldiers had threatened to shoot

the$ i" the% gae "ood or 'ater to d%ing Sikh #ilgri$s 'ounded in the assault

l%ing in the hos#ital*+./-

On Bth June6 'hen thousands o" Sikhs had gathered at the &olden Te$#le6

ar$% tanks $oed into the Te$#le co$#le!6 s$ashing into the sanctu$

sanctoru$ and shooting eer%one in sight4 ;an% 'ounded 'ere le"t to 5leed

to death and 'hen the% 5egged "or 'ater soldiers told the$ to drink the

$i!ture o" 5lood and urine on the =oor*+.1-



ad the true $otie 5ehind the ar$% action 5een to ca#ture or kill $ilitants

inside the hol% #lace6 thousands o" innocent Sikhs 'ould not hae 5een killed4

Additionall%6 the ar$% "orti3ed the hol% #lace "or $onths a"ter the attack

'hen it should hae handed 5ack the control as soon as the o#eration 'as

co$#lete4 uring the ar$%/s occu#ation6 the hol% #lace 'as desecrated in

the 'orst #ossi5le 'a%s6 in such 'a%s that caused the historical accounts o"the de3le$ents carried out 5% the ;ughal and A"ghan raiders to #ale in

co$#arison4 The ar$% s$oked and drank alcohol inside4 The ar$% ke#t their

shoes on and turned the hol% #lace into their 5ase station4 Thousands o"

Sikhs 'ere taken as #risoners o" 'ar and #ut in 7ails 'ithout an% charge or

trial4 ;an% o" these #risoners are still in 7ail4 en children as %oung as "our

%ear old 'ere arrested4+.3N

The Sikh Re"erence Li5rar% housing irre#lacea5le hand-'ritten $anuscri#ts

and the oGcial edicts o" the &urus6 histor% 5ooks and Sikh relics 'ere

destro%ed or con3scated 5% the ar$% neer to 5e seen again4 Archies o"

docu$ents "ro$ eer% #eriod o" Sikh histor% and arti"acts "ro$ the lies o"the &urus 'ere taken a'a% or destro%ed 5% ar$% troo#s4 The entire cit% 'as

looted and houses o" Sikhs 'ere ransacked "ro$ 'here alua5le ite$s 'ere

stolen and taken a'a% 5% the ar$%4 These "acts #oint to one clear "act that

the ar$% action 'as not against "e' Kterrorists 5ut against the entire Sikh

nation and it 'as a "utile atte$#t to destro% the Sikhs and deal 'ith the KSikh

#ro5le$ once and "or all4 In the 'ords o" Jo%ce +ettigre':

The ar$% 'ent into ar5ar Sahi5 not to eli$inate a #olitical 3gure or a

#olitical $oe$ent 5ut to su##ress the culture o" a #eo#le6 to attack their

heart6 to strike a 5lo' at their s#irit and sel"-con3dence4+.4-

There"ore6 it 'as not an attack to "ree the hol% #lace "ro$ su##osed terrorists

5ut it 'as itsel" a state s#onsored act o" terroris$ against the Sikh religion4

The ar$% 'as the real cul#rit 5ehind the terroris$ and it 'as a calculated use

o" e!tre$e iolence and terror 5% the goern$ent to inculcate "ear in the

$inds o" the Sikhs so that neer again do the% dare raise their oice against

the o##ression6 in7ustice and t%rann% o" the Indian goern$ent4 ence6 the

Sikhs 'ere the true de"enders against the Indian terrorists4

The goern$ent #ro#onents also #ut "or'ard another e!cuse that the% did

not attack ari$andar Sahi5 (&olden Te$#le) and onl% targeted the Akal

Takhat 5uilding that 'as 5eing used as the hiding #lace 5% the Sikhs4

o'eer6 this is co$#letel% "alse4 It is "oolish to assu$e that the Sikhs care

$ore a5out one &urd'ara than the other4 All &urd'aras are euall%

i$#ortant to the Sikhs4 Akal Takhat Sahi5 'as "ounded and 5uilt 5% the si!th

&uru hi$sel" and stands "or the s%$5ol o" #olitical soereignt% o" the Sikhs4 It

is the highest decision $aking authorit% on religious and te$#oral $atter o"

the Sikhs4 An attack on this #onti3cate is a clear indication o" the Indian



goern$ent atte$#ting to destro% the soereignt% o" the Sikhs and enslae

the$ into o5e%ing the Indian goern$ent4 Further6 other 5uildings did not

re$ain unaMected4 The 5uilding o" ari$andar Sahi5 receied $ore than @

5ullet holes that 'ere counted 5% r4 A4 R4 arshi hi$sel"4 ;an% Sikhs

#er"or$ing religious serices 'ere killed on the s#ot4 Akhand +aaths

(continuous reading o" the ol% Scri#ture) 'ere interru#ted and the dail%cere$onies could not 5e #er"or$ed4 The saroar (nectar #ool) 'as 3lled 'ith

de5ris6 dead 5odies and 5lood4 The 5lood had see#ed into the =oor6 so $uch

so6 that the s$ell o" cor#ses re$ained "or $onths a"ter the attack4 As a

result6 the gold #lates and the entire $ar5le needed to 5e re#laced4 The

entire co$#le! had to 5e renoated4 The goern$ent agents "orget the "act

that an attack on one &urd'ara is considered an attack on the entire Sikh

nation4 ari$andar Sahi5 and Akal Takhat Sahi5 are integral to the Sikh 'a%

o" li"e and standing s%$5ols o" Sikh soereignt%6 uniueness and distinct

identit%4 The attack 'as an atte$#t to destro% the Sikh religion altogether 5ut

such atte$#ts 'ill al'a%s "ail as the% hae in the #ast4

I""e)(" We(<ons

The second $ost #o#ular $isconce#tion is that the attack had 5eco$e need

o" the hour 5ecause the Sikhs had collected large uantit% o" illegal 'ea#ons

inside the co$#le!4 It is also argued that the #resence o" 'ea#ons inside the

co$#le! had desecrated the sanctit% o" the te$#le and the goern$ent

'anted to restore it 5ack to nor$al4 ,uldi# 2rar6 one o" the Lt4 &enerals

co$$anding the ar$% during the assault6 outlandishl% clai$s that the #lace

had no sanctit% le"t 'hen Sikhs took ar$s inside the hol% #lace +.5-'hich

according to hi$ 'as i$$oral4

ar5ar Sahi5 is the hol% #lace o" the Sikhs and the Sikhs er% 'ell kno' ho'

to res#ect and use their hol% #laces 5etter than the non-Sikh goern$ent4

Our res#onse to this $isconce#tion is a three"old4 Firstl%6 to discuss 'hether

kee#ing 'ea#ons is against the #rinci#les o" Sikhis$4 Secondl%6 'hether

'ea#ons inside the co$#le! are disres#ect"ul to the Sikh &urd'ara in an%

'a% and thirdl%6 'e 'ill e!a$ine 'hether there reall% 'as an% $ass

collection o" 'ea#ons inside the co$#le!4

&i' We(<ons in Si2#is=

Wea#ons are integral #art o" Sikh 'a% o" li"e and Sikhs are instructed to carr%

'ea#ons at all ti$es4 For this reason6 a Sikh is not co$#lete 'ithout his

s'ord 'hich he is gien at the ti$e o" initiation4 According to historical

accounts6 the si!th and the tenth &urus had s#eci3call% instructed Sikhs to

co$e to their #resence adorned 'ith 'ea#ons4 Sikhs 'ere gien the orders to

#resent horses and 'ea#ons as gi"ts and oMerings to the &urus rather than

$one% or other $onetar% things+.6-* Last 3e &urus o" the Sikhs ke#t an



eui##ed and 'ell-trained ar$%4 It is also a tradition o" the Sikhs to kee#

'ea#ons in "ront o" Sri &uru &ranth Sahi5 Ji (the ol% Scri#tures) 5e it at a

&urd'ara or a house4 &uru &o5ind Singh Ji regarded 'ea#ons in high regard

and een 'rote co$#ositions in their res#ect+.7N4 Thus6 'ea#ons cannot 5e

se#arated "ro$ the Sikh 'a% o" li"e4

As "ar as ar5ar Sahi5 (ar$andar Sahi5 and Akal Takhat Sahi5) is

concerned6 the 'ea#ons o" the Sikh &urus and other #ro$inent Sikhs like

2a5a ee# Singh hae 5een ke#t there "or centuries4 These 'ea#ons are

sho'n to the #u5lic on a dail% 5asis4 Other Takhats (Sikh seats) also "ollo'

the sa$e #ractice4 Thus6 the #resence o" 'ea#ons is not at all disres#ect"ul to

the Sikh &urd'aras4

istor% is testa$ent to the "act that it 'as the 'ea#ons o" the Sikhs that

'ere used to "ree ca#tured indu 'o$en "ro$ the slaer% o" the ;ughals and

the A"ghans4 A"ter the 5attle o" +ani#at6 Ah$ad Shah A5dali enslaed

thousands o" ;aratha 'o$en and Sikhs $anaged to rescue @@ o"the$+/8- 'ho 'ere sa"el% escorted 5ack to the ;aratha kingdo$ 'hich is a

long 'a% "ro$ +un7a54 It 'as due to the long hard struggle o" the Sikhs that

the $an% centuries old ;usli$ rule 'as rooted out "ro$ 1orthern India and

the 'ae o" "oreign inasions 'as sto##ed once and "or all during the glorious

Sikh rule o" earl% CDth centur%4 +esha'ar 'as taken oer and ad7oined 5ack

'ith India a"ter EB %ears o" ;usli$ rule4 This list o" Sikh sacri3ces "or India is

endless 5ut the "act o" the $atter is that 'ea#ons 'ere integral #art o" their

struggle4 There"ore6 'ea#ons hae al'a%s 5een #art o" the Sikh 'a% o" li"e

and are a s%$5ol o" Sikh soereignt%4

&ii' S(nctit> o; Gurd?(r(s

Since kee#ing 'ea#ons is #art o" the Sikh traditions6 the uestion o"

desecration o" a Sikh &urd'ara "ro$ 'ea#ons is #ointless4 uring the

struggles o" the CEth centur%6 Sikh &urd'aras es#eciall% ar5ar Sahi5 'ere

attacked and desecrated nu$erous ti$es 5% the ;ughals and A"ghans %et

not a single indu shed a tear in grie" nor did a single ar$% unit o" the indus

co$e "or'ard to oMer an% assistance to restore the holiness o" the &urd'aras

5ack to nor$al4 #isode o" ;assa Ranghar is a "a$ous one in Sikh histor%

'ho took oer ar5ar Sahi5 and desecrated ar$andir Sahi5 in the 'orst

'a%s i$agina5le4 e used the $ain hall "or dancing and s$oked to5acco

inside 'hich is a cardinal sin in Sikhis$4 It 'as t'o 5rae Sikhs 'ho le"t "ro$

2ikaner6 Ra7asthan to #unish the #er#etrator and "ree ar5ar Sahi54 1ot a

single indu sho'ed an% care or res#ect to the hol% #lace4 Ah$ad Shah

A5dali attacked and destro%ed ar$andir Sahi5 at least t'ice 5ut not a single

indu ca$e "or'ard to sto# such desecration4 A"ter anne!ing the Sikh

kingdo$6 the 2ritish decided to auction oM the land o" ar5ar Sahi5 5ut not a

single indu ca$e "or'ard to sto# such heinous cri$e4 In light o" historical



"acts "ro$ the CEth and CDth centuries6 it is si$#l% ludicrous to e!#ect indus

to act or sacri3ce to u#kee# the holiness o" the Sikh &urd'aras4 It is si$#l%

"oolish to assert that the Sikhs o" all #eo#le 'ould desecrate their o'n hol%

#laces4 It is analogous to de#lo%ing a hristian ar$% to sto# the ;usli$s "ro$

desecrating ;ecca 5% #racticing Isla$ there4 Such an attack cannot eer 5e

7usti3ed4

2rar in his state$ent neer cares to e!#lain 'hat e!actl% 'as i$$oral6 the

#resence o" 'ea#ons inside or the actual use o" 'ea#ons against innocents4 I"

it is the #resence o" 'ea#ons then the Indian ar$% $en 'ere $ore

dangerous6 greater terrorists and co$$itted greater i$$oral cri$e

(according to 2rar/s "alse #hiloso#hical inter#retation) since the% 'ere

eui##ed 'ith $ore adanced and larger 'ea#ons4 The disres#ect and

desecration o" the hol% #lace at the hands o" the Indian goern$ent 'as

$uch 'orse 5ecause the ar$% 5rought in hea% tanks6 ar$ored ehicles and

$achine guns4 To aggraate the $atter "urther6 the ar$% 'alked in 'ith their

shoes on6 s$oked and drank alcohol inside the co$#le! and ra#ed 'o$en4 These heinous acts o" disres#ect and i$$oralit% are al$ost uni$agina5le4 I"

the actual use o" 'ea#ons against innocents is i$$oral then it is onl% the

ar$% to 5e 5la$ed "or this 'ho 5ar5aricall% and $ercilessl% killed innocent

Sikh $en6 'o$en and children4 The 5ar5aric killing 'as so grueso$e that

#ieces o" =esh 'ere stuck to the 'alls o" the hol% #lace*+/,- The Sikhs inside

'ere not charged "or co$$itting an% such cri$e4 The Sikhs 'ere at receiing

end o" the iolence6 5rutalit% and tortures 'hereas the ar$% 'as on the

oMensie side4 o' does this sho' an% res#ect or u#kee# the sanctit% o" the

hol% #lace? The 'a% to rid a hol% #lace o" 'ea#ons is 5% re$oing the$ "ro$

its icinit% rather than 5ringing in $ore 'ea#ons in large uantit% anddestro%ing the #lace altogether4

2rar audaciousl% 5la$es the Sikhs "or 5eing i$$oral 5ut 'hen uestioned

a5out 'hether he had $ade the $oral decision during the o#eration 'hich

cost the lies o" innocent #ilgri$s6 he conenientl% dodged the uestion 5%

5la$ing the Sikhs "or taking 'ea#ons inside+/.-* e conenientl% ignores the

"act that unlike the ar$%6 the Sikhs 'ith 'ea#ons did not da$age the hol%

#lace nor did the% target innocent ciilians and #ilgri$s4 Assu$ing Sikhs 'ere

i$$oral then ho' does that gie an% right to the ar$% to 5eco$e i$$oral as

'ell? o' 'ere 2rar and his ar$% units an% 5etter? Thus6 ho' is the

o#eration een 7usti3ed and 'hat right does the goern$ent hae to la5elSikhs as 5eing 'rong? 2rar #aid no concern to the Sikh senti$ents and

sanctit% o" the hol% #lace4 All he cared "or 'as his $ission 'hich he carried

out at the e!#ense o" thousands o" innocent #ilgri$s 7ust so he could receie

a #ett% #ro$otion4 All he had to sa% 'as Konce %ou #ut on a uni"or$6 %ou

hae to acce#t these things4+//-

I" the goern$ent 'as so concerned a5out the sanctit% o" the hol% #lace then



'h% did it not take an% action against the indu te$#les 'here statues are

dis#la%ed holding 'ea#ons such as s'ord6 an a!e6 5o' and arro' etc4? In

$an% south Indian te$#les6 statues and 'all #aintings de#icting arious

erotic #ositions are dis#la%ed4 This is $uch $ore insulting and desecrating to

the sanctit% o" the hol% #laces than the $ere #resence o" 'ea#ons4 Wh% to

this da% has the Indian goern$ent taken no action against this?Further$ore6 e aasi ("e$ale #rostitution) is o#enl% #racticed in $an%

te$#les across South and ast Indian states %et the goern$ent has

de#lo%ed no ar$% to sto# "e$ale e!#loitation and #uri"% the indu te$#les4

Last 5ut not least6 'hen Sikh &urd'aras 'ere attacked all oer India in

1oe$5er CDEB6 the goern$ent re$ained $ute and took no actie

$easures to #rotect the sanctit% o" the Sikh hol% #laces4 Instead6 the

goern$ent ordered the #olice to assist the hoodlu$s and to ensure that the

$ass killing o" the Sikhs 'as carried out s$oothl%4 This dou5le standard and

h%#ocritical 5ehaior o" the Indian goern$ent clearl% #roes that the

goern$ent had onl% one intention and that 'as to destro% the Sikhs4 All

these "acts #oint to one ineita5le truth that the goern$ent needed an

e!cuse to attack the heart o" Sikhis$ to crush the Sikh s#irit4

&iii' Co""ection o; We(<ons

1o'6 let us discuss i" Sant Jarnail Singh and his co$#anions had collected

'ea#ons inside the co$#le!4 It is an o#en truth that Sant Jarnail Singh and

his co$#anions carried ar$s 'ith the$4 o'eer6 all o" their 'ea#ons at one

ti$e 'ere dul% licensed and the% had 5een carr%ing 'ea#ons since late @s4

1either did he use these 'ea#ons to 5reak an% la' nor did he use the$ "or

iolence4 is intent o" carr%ing 'ea#ons 'as in accordance 'ith the ideals o"

Sikh tenets4 As e!#lained earlier6 kee#ing 'ea#ons is #art o" the Sikh religion

'hile their usage is strictl% restricted "or de"ensie #ur#oses onl%4 Sikhs 'ere

taught to kee# horses and ar$ the$seles against t%rann% and o##ression 5%

the &urus the$seles4 What Sant Jarnail Singh #reached 'as nothing ne' or

against the Sikh ideals4 r4 A4 R4 arshi states:

The tradition o" ar$ing the Sikhs 'as introduced 5% &uru argo5ind JiQe

then instructed the Sikhs to oMer hi$ 'ea#ons and horses instead o" $one%4

e acce#ted 'ea#ons and horses at Akal Takhat Sahi5 "ro$ is

"ollo'ersQ44Sant 2hindran'ale si$#l% reied this tradition in letter and s#irit

and gae it a ne' di$ension 5% su5stituting reolers and guns 'ith s'ordsand s#ears and $otor c%cle 'ith horse4 e there"ore did not co$$it an%

oMense 5% "ollo'ing the &urus4 The c%nics $a% critici8e hi$ "or reial o" the

age old tradition o" the ,halsa4+/1N

Further6 "ounding the Order o" the ,halsa sered the #ur#ose o" esta5lishing

an ar$% that 'ould u#root eil6 in7ustice6 o##ression and e!#loitation and

restore 7ustice and eualit% "or all4 For this #ur#ose6 the ,halsa 'as instructed



to ar$ itsel"4 Just like eer% goern$ent kee#s an ar$% and #roides it 'ith

state o" the art 'ea#onr% "or national securit%6 si$ilarl% Sikhs as a nation are

reuired 5% their &urus to ar$ the$seles 'ith u# to date 'ea#ons reuired

"or their de"ense4 o'eer6 the 'ea#ons can onl% 5e used as a last resort to

redress eil4 &uru &o5ind Singh in one o" his "a$ous co$#osition a"arna$a

(#istle o" *ictor%) states:

When all other $eans hae "ailed6 it is righteous to dra' the s'ord *+/3-

Sant Jarnail Singh "ollo'ed in the sa$e "ootste#s and did not #reach iolence4

e re$inded the Sikhs to carr% ar$s as #rescri5ed 5% the &urus and

e!#lained that a Sikh does not kee# 'ea#ons "or oMense6 "or hurting others6

or "or #ersonal gain4 Rather he 3ghts o##ression and in7ustice4 In his s#eech

on Se#te$5er @6 CDE6 he re$arked:

For a Sikh it is a great sin to kee# 'ea#ons and kill an% one4 o'eer6 ,halsa

Ji6 it is an een greater sin to hae 'ea#ons and not to seek 7ustice4 Further6 itis a sin "or a Sikh to kee# 'ea#ons to hurt an innocent #erson6 to ro5

an%oneHs ho$e6 to dishonor an%one or to o##ress an%one4 2ut there is no

greater sin "or a Sikh than kee#ing 'ea#ons and not #rotecting his "aith *+/4-

It 'as in accordance 'ith these #rinci#les that Sikh $ilitants de"ended their

hol% #laces4 Let us not "orget the e#isodes o" Sikh histor%9 let us not "orget

that during all the #ast inasions o" ar5ar Sahi56 Sikhs hae al'a%s "ought

5ack 'ith 'ea#ons4 2a5a ee# Singh took his 'ea#ons and ar$% inside

ar5ar Sahi5 and 2a5a &ur5akhsh Singh along 'ith @ Sikhs gae a stiM

resistance to A5dali/s ar$% in the icinit% o" ar5ar Sahi5 and sacri3ced their

lies4 Sikhs in the CEth centur% 5uilt 5unkers and "orti3ed the hol% #lace tode"end it against ;usli$ inasions4 Wheneer a Sikh goes to ar5ar Sahi56 he

is ar$ed 'ith his s'ord4 Thus6 'ea#ons inside the Sikh &urd'aras are not a

sign o" disres#ect 5ut an integral #art o" Sikh traditions4

Forti"%ing the co$#le! against the i$$inent Indian inasion 'as er% $uch

according to tradition4 en then it 'as a last resort4 Sant Jarnail Singh had

launched a #eace"ul struggle against the goern$ent that lasted t'o %ears4

uring this struggle6 thousands o" Sikhs 'ere arrested6 tortured in 7ails and

$an% hundreds killed in "ake encounters4 et the goern$ent did not %ield

and decided to launch an attack to su##ress the #eace"ul struggle4 ad the

goern$ent honestl% sought #eace"ul negotiations6 deliered 7ustice andsto##ed all anti-Sikh actiities the iolence 'ould not hae escalated4 It is the

res#onsi5ilit% o" the goern$ent to treat all its citi8ens euall% 'ith res#ect

and dignit% and sho' no #artialit% to an% religious grou#4 Other'ise6 the

citi8ens o" the countr% hae eer% right to de"end the$seles4 This is 'h% the

Sikhs ar$ed the$seles to "ace the Indian ar$%4 It 'as the Indian ar$% that

initiated the attack6 and Sikhs had eer% right to de"end it 'ith 'ea#ons4



Sikhs did not een 3re a single 5ullet until the ar$% entered the co$#le!4 r4

A4 R4 arshi states:

It is an age old tradition o" the ,halsa to 3ght the t%rants and not to su5$it

the$seles to t%rann%4 I" thus the ongress goern$ent conte$#tuousl%

5randed the$ as a la'less #eo#le and o##ressed the$ the% are 7usti3ed to$eet ar$s 'ith ar$s*+/5-

He ;urt#er st(tes

;ohan as ,ara$ hand &andhi also e!horted the Sikhs to take s'ords i"

their 7ust de$ands 'ere not conceded 5% the goern$ent4 When

;adhusudan Singh asked ;4,4&andhi 'hat the Sikhs should do in the eent

o" 5etra%al 5% the ongress6 &andhi 3r$l% re#lied that in that case the 5rae

Sikhs should take their s'ords in their hands 'ith #er"ect 7usti3cation and

sa"eguard their rights 5% use o" the ar$s4 I" &andhi6 a great leader o" the

ongress6 7usti3ed ar$ed struggle 5% the Sikhs to sa"eguard their interests6then 'h% is Sant 2hindran'ale 5eing 5la$ed "or his $ilitant struggle?+/6-

ence6 the 5la$e rests u#on the goern$ent "or causing all the da$age6

s#reading iolence and resorting to terroris$4 A"ter the attack 'as oer6 the

ar$% dis#la%ed $an% 'ea#ons allegedl% recoered "ro$ the so-called

terrorists4 It 'as a #o$#ous sho' the goern$ent #ut on to coer the truth4

These 'ea#ons 'ere s$uggled into the hol% #lace 5% the goern$ent itsel"

to 7usti"% the attack and the Sikh genocide 'ithout arousing an% #rotest "ro$

the indu $a7orit%4 On Jul%6 CDEB6 A4 &4 1oorani re#orted in The Illustrated

Weekl% o" India:

A S4 +ooni6 o$e Secretar% o" +un7a56 also con3r$ed that .the &oern$ent

had a "air idea o" the kind o" 'ea#ons inside the &olden Te$#le/4444 o' did

the% reach there? In ,ar-sea trucks carr%ing "ood and construction $aterial4

.The% 'ere not interce#ted 5ecause there 'ere oral instructions K"ro$ the

to# until t'o $onths ago not to check an% o" the ,ar-sea trucks/6 2hinder

told the t'o corres#ondents*+/7-

Re)(rdin) t#ese ?e(<ons Dr* A* R* D(rs#i ?rites

The 'ea#ons 'ere not recoered "ro$ the $ilitants4 These 'ere 5rand ne'

'ea#ons arranged 5% the ar$% to gie a "alse i$#ression that the e!tre$ists

'ere heail% ar$ed4 When those 'ea#ons 'ere telecast the% looked 5rand

ne' and 'ere shining4 The 'ea#ons #ossessed 5% the $ilitants 'ere either

da$aged 5% hea% 5o$5ard$ent or so$e o" the$ 'ere le"t 5% those 'ho

had esca#ed4 The 'ea#ons recoered "ro$ the$ ought to 5e old and

da$aged*+18-

Saroo# Singh 1arang e!#lains that the ar$% had occu#ied the surrounding



areas o" ar5ar Sahi5 and no one 'as let in 'ithout going through #ro#er

screening and securit% checks4 e states:

ar5ar Sahi5 had 5een surrounded 5% the 4R4+ and the +un7a5 #olice CE

$onths #rior to the attack and eer% hu$an 5eing 'as searched 5e"ore 5eing

allo'ed entr% to the co$#le!4 en "ood used "or co$$unit% kitchen 'asins#ected4 Four intelligence agencies 'ere 5us% collecting in"or$ation a5out

the inside actiities o" the hol% #lace4 Sant Jarnail Singh ca$e to 1anak 1i'as

(kitchen 5uilding) a5out si! $onths a"ter the ar$% check #osts had 5een #ut

in #lace4 In the #resence o" strict securit% check #oints and intelligence

agencies ho' did the 'ea#ons sho' u# inside the hol% #lace? The truth o"

the $atter is that it 'as all #lanned 5% the goern$ent4 The goern$ent

agent6 ;4 ,4 Tri#athi colla5orated 'ith +un7a5 #olice chie" 2hindar and

arranged trucks "ull o" 'ea#ons 'hich 'ere s$uggled into the ar5ar Sahi5 *

+1,-

ar5ir Singh 2han'ar6 a re#orter and an e%e'itness to the eents o" theattack 'rites in his #ersonal diar% that the 'ea#ons 'ere 5rought in 5% the

ar$%4 e 'rites:

2e"ore the +resident o" India isited the &olden Te$#le the ar$% 5rought a

truck loaded 'ith 'ea#ons into the co$#le! so that it 'ould gie the

i$#ression that the $ilitants had aN $ass collection o" "oreign 'ea#ons*+1.-

All these "acts irreoca5l% #roe that the Sikhs had not collected an%

'ea#ons inside the co$#le! to launch an attack on the Indian goern$ent4

Rather6 these 'ea#ons 'ere 5rought in 5% the ar$% and 5la$ed on the Sikhs4

The 'ea#ons used 5% the Sikhs 'ere old and er% "e' in uantit%4 The Sikhs'ere "e' in nu$5er and eui##ed 'ith dated 'ea#ons 'hich sho's that the%

could not and hae 5een and 'ere not #re#aring "or terroris$ o" an% kind4 On

the other hand6 the ar$% had 5een in training "or CE $onths #rior to the

attack and ca$e in 'ith tanks6 guns and hea% artiller% 'hich leads to the

conclusion that the ar$% 'as 'ell #re#ared "or an act o" terroris$ to tr% and

"orce Sikhs into su5$ission and instill "ear in their hearts and hae the$

"orsake their rights o" "reedo$4

Ad@oc(tin) io"ence

ontrar% to the o#inion o" the goern$ent and its #u##ets6 Sant Jarnail Singhneer condoned iolence in 'ord or action4 We hae alread% #roen earlier

that he 'as not a terrorist and the goern$ent 'as taking the 3rst ste# in

instigating iolence 'hich started in CDE 'hen an i$#oster na$ed

&ur5achan started #reaching against Sikhis$4 Taleen Singh echoes:

ontrar% to the #o#ular 5elie" that he took the oMensie6 senior #olice



sources in the +un7a5 ad$it that the #roocation ca$e in "act "ro$ a

1irankari oGcial 'ho started harassing 2hindran'ale and his $en4 There

'ere t'o or three 1irankaris in ke% #ositions in the +un7a5 in those da%s and

the% 'ere #o'er"ul enough to 5e a5le to create uite a lot o" trou5le*+1/-

r4 A4 R4 arshi e!#lains the ill-conceied $oties o" the goern$ent 5ehindsu##orting the characterless &ur5achan and his cult 5% stating:

The Indian goern$ent led 5% 2rah$anical indus kne' 'ell that the Sikhs

'ere the onl% $artial race in India 'hich has ine!hausti5le energ%6

deter$ination and courage to 3ght "or their 7ust rights4 The indu #olit% also

kne' that the Sikhs cannot 5e su5dued 5% "orce "oreer4 There"ore6 the

goern$ent cleerl% #lanned to su5ert the Sikh religion and de#lete its

nu$erical strength 5% e$#lo%ing 'icked strateg% enunciated 5% ,autil%a in

the Arth Shastra4 To achiee their ill-conceied o57ecties the Indian

goern$ent #atroni8ed6 aided and encouraged &ur5achan6 chie" o" 1irankari

;andal to launch onslaught against Sikh religions and their &urus*+11-

The iolent attack o" &ur5achan and his 'icked "ollo'ers on the Sikhs that

resulted in serious in7ur% and $art%rdo$ o" $an% Sikhs 'as #re#lanned 5%

the goern$ent4 r4 A4 R4 arshi 'rites:

The #olice resorted to lathi charge and also o#ened 3re on the Sikhs4 The

5rutal use o" #olice "orce le"t a trail o" 5lood4 Thirteen Sikhs 'ere killed and

nearl% eight% 'ere seriousl% in7ured4 This ti$e ghastl% cri$e 'as co$$itted

5% the indu #olice in conniance 'ith the 1irankaris and the goern$ent *

+13-

,hush'ant Singh aGr$s:

Terrorist actiit% #receded the $orcha 5% $ore than si! $onths and 'as 5o$

out o" encounters "aked 5% the +un7a5 #olice and the ar$ed con=ict 5et'een

the 1irankaris and Sant 2hindran'ale 5eginning A#ril C6 CDE*+14-

To $ake the $atter 'orse6 the case 'as trans"erred to ar%ana igh ourt

'here all the #er#etrators including &ur5achan 'ere released4 This 'as an

un"air6 un7ust and uneual treat$ent 5% the goern$ent4

The Indian Su#re$e ourt readil% ordered trans"er o" the case to the court o"

R4S4 &u#ta6 additional Session Judge o" ,arnal istrict6 'ho 'as a #lia5le andnotoriousl% corru#t 7udicial oGcer4 The 7udge startled the Sikh +anth on Bth

Januar%6 CDE@ 5% acuitting the 1irankari chie" and all other si!t% and odd

accused 'ho had co$$itted $urder o" C Sikhs4 It 'as #erersion o" 7ustice

and "or this igno5le act the Indian goern$ent 'as res#onsi5le *+15-

It is 'orth $entioning here that anti-Sikh grou#s9 indu "ascist grou#s such

as the RSS and Shi Sena6 as 'ell as indu #olitical leaders o#enl% released



state$ents threatening to eli$inate Sikhs all oer India and kicking the$ out

o" the countr%4 et not a single action 'as taken against the$4 In the

neigh5oring state o" ar%ana6 Sikhs 'ere regularl% attacked and killed 'ith

the hel# o" the state goern$ent4 According to r4 A4 R4 arshi:

What had ha##ened in ar%ana 'as crueler and $ore disgusting4 The "anaticand 5ar5aric indus indulged in 'orst kind o" iolence4 The% 5rutall% l%nched

and killed a5out a do8en Sikhs and grieousl% in7ured and $aintained $an%

$ore4 The indus $olested so$e Sikh 'o$en and looted their orna$ents o"

gold and dia$ond4 ;ore than a do8en &urd'aras 'ere da$aged and

destro%ed in to'ns like +ani#at6 ,arnal6 ,aithal and JindQ4hie" ;inister o"

ar%ana6 2ha7an Lal6 gli5l% s$iled 'hen he 'as asked 5% a #ress re#orter to

co$$ent on these inhu$an cri$es4 Seeral indu and ongress leaders

5oast"ull% declared that this 'as onl% a trailer sho'n to the Sikhs liing

outside o" +un7a5*+16-

In such a situation 'hen the goern$ent sided 'ith anti-Sikh "orces and the$edia #la%ed its 5iased and icious role against the Sikhs6 the Sikhs 'ere

"orced to take $atter in their o'n hands as taught 5% the &urus and #unish

the cri$inals4 r4 A4 R4 arshi states:

The #rinci#les o" ;iri +iri and the #hiloso#h% o" the ,halsa en7oins u#on the

5rae Sikhs to 3ght "or their rights and sa"eguard their interests4 Thus i" Sant

2hindran'ale had "ollo'ed the #hiloso#h% o" ;iri +iri and the ,halsa 'hat

'rong had he done?+17-

The goern$ent and its #aid goons #lace 5la$e "or eer% cri$e co$$itted

5% the ar$% and the #olice on Sant Jarnail Singh4 According to the$ suchsu##ression and o##ression 'as necessar% to control Sikh se#aratis$4

o'eer6 the "acts s#eak other'ise4 uring the #eace"ul struggle in earl%

CDE@s6 the cri$e rate in +un7a5 'as $uch lo'er co$#ared to other Indian

states4 According to oGcial re#orts6 C #ersons 'ere killed in +un7a5

5et'een August 6 CDE and ece$5er C6 CDE*+38- On the other hand in

the %ear CDE in elhi alone6 BB #ersons 'ere $urdered*+3,-

1a%ar con3r$s that:

+un7a5 &oern$ent circulated a secret docu$ent4 This docu$ent said that

there 'ere 6B $urders in CDE@ and 6@E in CDEC in P +C6 'hile in+un7a5 there 'ere @ $urders in CDE@ and BB in CDEC*+3.-

Fro$ this6 Sinha et al4 conclude:

lu55ing together eer% kind o" cri$e under the heading and 5la$ing the

Akali agitation "or all o" the$ is 5ut an atte$#t to $islead the #eo#le *+3/-

Sant Jarnail Singh "ull% a'are o" the goern$ent/s $alicious #ro#aganda



states in one o" his s#eeches deliered on D A#ril CDE:

At 'hateer #lace6 'hateer unto'ard incident occurs6 'hether an% other

#lace is na$ed in that connection or not6 the na$es o" ar$andar Sahi5 and

1anak 1i'as are al'a%s included ;adh%a +radesh is thousands o" kilo$eters

"ro$ here4 So$ething ha##ened at 2hilai a long ti$e 5ack4 en that casehas 5een linked to this #lace*+31-

The goern$ent 'as s#eci3call% targeting the Sikhs 'ho 'ere #art o" Sant

Ji/s grou#4 Ran5ir Singh Sandhu states:

Akali #rotestors 'ere generall% released a"ter t'o to 3"teen da%s in 7ail or

een taken out o" the cit% and let oM the da% the% 'ere arrested4 On the other

hand6 #rotestors "ro$ Sant organi8ation6 $ost o" 'ho$ had 5een "or$all%

initiated into the Sikh "aith6 'ere 5rutall% tortured and o"ten killed 'hile in

#olice custod%4+33-

To escalate the iolence in the state6 the goern$ent staged $an% cri$essuch as thro'ing a co'/s head in a indu te$#le6 alleged assassination

atte$#t o" the hie" ;inisters etc4 and 5la$ed the$ on Sant Jarnail Singh4

!#osing the icious hunt ga$e o" the goern$ent6 Ran5ir Singh Sandhu

states:

To 5rand deout Sikhs as cri$inals6 the &oern$ent stage-$anaged

nu$erous cri$es4 The #olice 'ould orchestrate a cri$e and then ascri5e it to

Sant 2hindran'ale4 Follo'ing this6 the la'-en"orce$ent agencies 'ould round

u# deout Sikhs and harass6 torture6 ra#e6 and o"ten .eli$inate/ the$4+34-

This is 'h% Sant Jarnail Singh 7usti3ed 3ghting 5ack and de"ending againstthe atrocities o" the goern$ent oGcials and the indu leaders 'ho 'ere

threatening to e!ile all the Sikhs "ro$ India4 e 'as not against an%

co$$unit%4 According to his o'n 'ords said on CE ;a% CDE:

We hae no #ersonal en$it% 'ith an%one9 'e are not 7ealous o" an%5od%4

o'eer6 i" so$eone tries to destro% our religion6 'e $ust 5e stead"ast in

securing our rightsQWe 3ght those 'ho stri# our sisters naked6 'e 3ght

those 'ho dishonor our sisters6 and 'e 3ght those 'ho insult our Satguru

&ranth Sahi54 This 3ght 'ill go on and no #o'er in the 'orld can sto# us until

these things are sto##ed*+35-

What Sant Jarnail Singh #reached 'as totall% in accordance to Sikh #rinci#les4

e #reached Sikhs to de"end the$seles and 3ght "or 7ustice4 According to

hi$:

A Sikh is neer an o##ressor 5ut onl% de"ends hi$sel" and his #eo#le4 I hae

neer6 he said6 initiated an% attack 'ith $% tongue or $% #en or 'ith $%

s'ord4 I onl% ans'er 5ack or retaliate to actions initiated 5% the ene$ies o"



the Sikhs*+36-

There"ore6 it is clear "ro$ the a5oe gien #roo"s that Sant Jarnail Singh 'as

an innocent $an 'ho neer raised his tongue6 s'ord or gun against an%one

innocent4

Re"i)ious or Po"itic(" !i)ure

An o57ection is co$$onl% raised against Sant Jarnail Singh that in s#ite o"

den%ing haing an% #olitical $oties6 he encouraged his co$#anions to

#artici#ate in #olitics4 Fro$ this the% "alsel% conclude that he 'anted to

5eco$e a leader o" the Sikhs4

Such a hal"-5aked theor% can onl% 5e #ut "or'ard 5% those 'ho are either

ignorant o" the Sikh ideals or intentionall% tr%ing to $align the na$e o" a true

Sikh4 Little do the% kno' that the conce#t o" ;iri-+iri (S#iritual Te$#oral)

adocates a Sikh 5eing actie in #olitics as #art o" his religious li"est%le4 Sant Jarnail Singh neer 'ent to a leader/s house6 neer associated 'ith #olitical

3gures and not once did he utter an% desire to hold a #olitical oGce4

o'eer6 this does not $ean that he 'as not "ull% a'are o" the situation and

the #olitical at$os#here around hi$4 e had "ull% understood that the Akali

al (#olitical #art% that re#resented the Sikh interests) had 5eco$e i$#otent

to su##ort the Sikhs and had sold its integrit% and conscience to the

goern$ent to achiee #olitical "aors4 Sant Jarnail Singh 'as greatl%

disa##ointed 'hen the Akali al did not su##ort the Sikhs against the

1irankaris in CDE4 The so-called Sikh leaders a5used alcohol and did not

"ollo' the Sikh #rinci#les4 This is 'h% he encouraged his co$#anions to run in

S&+ elections so that the Sikh interests could 5e re#resented 5% the

#racticing Sikhs4

Sant Jarnail Singh hi$sel"6 ho'eer6 during the course o" the struggle6

re$ained dedicated to the Sikh teachings as a #reacher4 is #ri$ar% $ission

'as neer o5scured 'ith #olitical struggle4 e iterated ti$e and ti$e again in

$an% o" his s#eeches+37N:

And as "ar as I a$ concerned6 $% $ission is to ad$inister A$rit6 to e!#lain

the $eanings o" &ur5ani and to teach &ur5ani to those around $e *+48-

is #reaching $ission 'as so success"ul that thousands o" #eo#le took A$ritand 5eca$e Sikhs4 K#us#?(nt Sin)# (r=s:

2hindran'aleHs A$rit #rachar 'as a resounding success4 Adults in their

thousands took oaths in #u5lic to a57ure liuor6 to5acco and drugs and 'ere

5a#ti8ed4 *ideocassettes sho'ing 5lue 3l$s and cine$a houses lost out to

the illage gurd'ara4 ;en not onl% saed $one% the% had earlier suandered

in sel"-indulgence6 5ut no' 'orked longer hours on their lands and raised



5etter cro#s4 The% had $uch to 5e grate"ul "or to Jarnail Singh 'ho ca$e to

5e reered 5% the$444+4,-

(nd(n( S#i@( ec#oes

The SantHs "ollo'ing gre' as he success"ull% regenerated the .good/ li"e o"

#urit%6 dedication and hard 'ork 5% reiing these "unda$ental alues o" theSikh religionHs 'a% o" li"e*+4.-

There"ore6 Sant Jarnail Singh 'as a religious $an and his $ain ai$ 'as to

#reach Sikhis$4 As "ar as his #olitical as#irations are concerned6 he had none

o" his o'n*+4/- o'eer6 he "ull% e!tended his su##ort to the hara$ udh

;orcha (#eace"ul struggle) that 'as started 5% the Akali al4 It is 'orth

$entioning the circu$stances leading to his su##ort "or the Akali al4 On the

CDth o" Jul%6 CDE t'o o" his associates 2hai A$rik Singh and 2hai Thara

Singh 'ere arrested 5% the #olice on "alse charges4 Sant Jarnail Singh hi$sel"

'as er% sick at the ti$e4 en then6 to secure their release lest the #olicetorture the$ to death6 he ca$e to ar5ar Sahi5 and started sending a grou#

o" olunteers eer% da% to #rotest against the goern$ent4 On B August

CDE6 Akali al decided to $erge its struggle "or greater state autono$% and

other de$ands 'ith Sant Ji/s eMorts4 A"ter the release o" 2hai A$rik Singh

and 2hai Thara Singh6 Sant Ji stated that his 5asic de$ands hae 5een

"ul3lled 5ut he 'ould continue to lend su##ort to the #eace"ul Sikh struggle

'hich 'as under the leadershi# o" archand Singh Longo'al4 Sant Jarnail

Singh had $ade it clear that Longo'al 'as the Kleader and he 'as a K$inor

serant4+41-

Thus6 Sant Ji "ull% endorsed the de$ands listed in the Anand#ur Sahi5Resolution 'hich reuired returning $ore autono$% to the State o" +un7a54

The trans"er o" 'ater and electricit% 5ack to the state goern$ent6 the return

o" handigarh and +un7a5i s#eaking areas to +un7a5 and a$end$ents to the

Indian onstitution 'ere all #olitical de$ands4 In s#ite o" these6 he had no

#ersonal desire to hold a #olitical oGce4 r4 A4 R4 arshi #uts it elouentl% 5%

stating that Sant Jarnail Singh/s:

Q4$ain ai$ 'as not si$#l% to 5ull do8e the 1irankari oMensie 5ut also to

strie "or i$#le$entation o" Anand#ur Sahi5 Resolution ado#ted 5% the Akali

al in CD*+43-

Accordin) to Arun S#ourie

For all I kno'6 he is co$#letel% innocent and is genuinel% and e!clusiel%

dedicated to the teachings o" the &urus*+44-

ence6 Sant Jarnail Singh 'as a religious $an at the core4 o'eer6 his

$ission "or the Sikh cause 'as not deoid o" #olitical ai$s 5ut neither did he



hae an% #ersonal #olitical goals nor did he 'ish to 5eco$e a #olitical 3gure4

Po"itic(" Se<(r(tis= K#("ist(n

A"ter O#eration 2lue Star 'as oer6 the Sikhs reali8ed that all #eace"ul $eans

had "ailed and it had 5eco$e necessit% o" the ti$e to raise an ar$edstruggle4 For this reason6 the "reedo$ struggle started a"resh 'ith the ho#e

to esta5lish a se#arate Sikh state called ,halistan4 1u$erous goern$ent

agents accuse Sant Jarnail Singh o" #er#etrating the diision the countr% 5%

creating a se#arate Sikh state4 A 'hite #a#er issued 5% the "ascist Indian

goern$ent alleged that the Sikh $oe$ent 'as heading to'ards Kan

inde#endent ,halistan4+45- ;an% 5iased and hate"ul 7ournalists also 7oined

the sa$e 5and'agon4 1a%ar asserts that Kthe nest stage "or the Sikh

$oe$ent 'as to hae a Kse#arate ho$eland4+46- o'eer6 neither the

goern$ent nor the narro'-$inded indus hae eer cared to #resent an%

eidence to corro5orate their =i$s% state$ents4

The "act o" the $atter is that although the conce#t o" ,halistan 'as nothing

ne' as it 'as oMered to the Sikhs 5% the 2ritish at least hal" a do8en ti$es

5e"ore the #artition6 Sant Jarnail Singh neer raised a de$and "or it4 is

stance 'as clear on this su57ect4 e stated on CC ;a% CDE:

We 'ish to lie in industan4 We 'ish to lie as eual citi8ens4 The enter

should tell us 'hether it 'ants to kee# us 'ith it or not4 I" the enter 'ants to

kee# us 'ith it6 it should gie us our "ull rights according to the sacri3ces 'e

hae $adeQ4o'eer6 I $ust sa% that6 standing on this stage6 'e do not

de$and it and 'e do not o##ose it either4 2ut6 i" the enter gies us

,halistan6 'e shall take it4 This ti$e6 'e shall not re#eat the $istake o" CDB4

2ut this is enterHs 7o5 and the enter is res#onsi5le "or it4 I" it 'ishes6 it can

kee# us 'ith it or i" it 'ishes6 it can call us terrorists and e!tre$ists and

se#arate us4 It is their 7o54 onHt #ut the 5la$e on us*+47-

Sant Jarnail Singh 'as 'ell ersed in Sikh teachings and "ull% reali8es the

i$#ortance o" Sikh soereignt%4 e a#tl% kne' that the reason "or Sikh

suMering 'as due to uneual and un"air treat$ent o" the Sikhs at the hands

o" the goern$ent4 is sole $ission 'as to sto# anti-Sikh actiities o" the

goern$ent and its agents and restore the Sikh ideals 5ack into the lies o"

the Sikhs4 r4 A4 R4 arshi sa%s:is $ain ai$ 'as not si$#l% to 5ull do8e the 1irankari oMensie 5ut also to

strie "or i$#le$entation o" Anand#ur Sahi5 Resolution ado#ted 5% the Akali

al in CD4 And i" the union goern$ent re"used to concede that de$and

then to as#ire "or inde#endent state as 'as #ro$ised 5% the Indian 1ational

ongress 5e"ore attain$ent o" inde#endence in CDB*+58-



In one o" the interie's6 Ra7inder +uri asked Sant Jarnail Singh a5out his

stance on ,halistan to 'hich the latter a#tl% re#lied6 KI hae neer asked "or

,halistan6> he said4 >2ut i" the% gie $e ,halistan on a golden #late6 I 'on/t

re"use itU> When "urther asked 'hat he 'anted6 he #assionatel% res#onded6 KI

'ant to #rotect the identit%6 honour and tradition o" the ,halsa4+5,-

This #roes that the o57ectie o" Sant Jarnail Singh 5ehind su##orting the

#eace"ul struggle 'as to secure eual rights "or the Sikhs and not to esta5lish

a se#arate Sikh state4

We $ust address an additional #oint is-V-is ,halistan4 The conce#t o"

,halistan is not against the Sikh teachings "or #olitical soereignt% and is in

"act a $ust "or the religion to surie and =ourish4 Sikh &urus "ounded $an%

cities that 'ere goerned 5% the$ and according to Sikh #rinci#les4 Sikh

&urus 'ere called KSacha +atshah (True ,ing) 'ho sat on a throne6 'ore

ro%al regalia6 ke#t horses and "alcons and had a 'ell-trained eui##ed ar$%4

2a5a 2anda Singh6 1a'a5 ,a#oor Singh6 Jassa Singh Ahlu'alia6 Sikh ;isls6;ahara7a Ran7it Singh and $an% others hae 5een soereign rulers o" Sikh

kingdo$s4 Sikhs hae ruled in 1orthern India "ro$ C<CEBD as

inde#endent rulers4 Sikhs hae 5een instructed to re$ain soereign4

There"ore6 een i" Sant Jarnail Singh had raised a oice "or ,halistan it 'ould

not hae 5een against the Sikh tenets nor 'ould it hae $ade hi$ a terrorist4

The goern$ent attack on ar5ar Sahi5 uneuiocall% #roes that Sikh

soereignt% cannot e!ist #eace"ull% in India 5ecause 'hen Sikhs are the

rulers their &urd'aras are not attacked and neither are the religious sites o"

an% other "aith9 ho'eer 'hen a "oreign hostile ruler co$es into #o'er6 the

&urd'aras 5eco$e the 3rst target in attacks against the Sikhs4 ence6 theIndian goern$ent is a su##ressie indu goern$ent that is no diMerent

than the #ast ;ughal6 A"ghan6 and 2ritish goern$ents4

A)ent o; Con)ress or P(2ist(n

+art o" the #ro#aganda ca$#aign against Sant Jarnail Singh 'as to da$age

his i$age and character 'ithin the Sikh co$$unit%4 For this reason6 he 'as

called an agent o" ongress 'ho 'as sent to diide the Akali #art%4 So$e

een insinuated that he had links 'ith +akistan4 This 'as concocted to

discredit the Sikh struggle 5% turning Sant Jarnail Singh into a ne"arious#olitical creation o" +akistan4 We shall clear 5oth o" these accusations in this

section4

&i' Lin2s ?it# P(2ist(n

There is no eidence 'hatsoeer #roing his links 'ith +akistan4 The intent

5ehind the anti-Sikh ca$#aign and s#reading "alse stories 'as to con"use the



$inds o" the Sikhs so that the% 'ould get discouraged and "eel as i" their

struggle 'as nothing $ore than a setu# o" +akistan and the% 'ere 5eing used

as tools against their o'n countr%4 Sant Jarnail Singh countered this $%th in

his o'n s#eech on ;a% CDE to 'hich the goern$ent and its o'ned

$edia gae no res#onse4

s#eciall%6 this state$ent that 2i5i Indira (Indira &andhi6 +ri$e ;inister o"

India) has $ade that +akistan has a hand in this struggle4 +rior to this6 haran

houdhar% (haran Singh6 +ri$e ;inister o" India CD-CDE@) had $ade a

state$ent that #ersons "ro$ +akistan co$e to isit 2hindran'ale in 1anak

1i'as and return a"ter discussions and $aking #rogra$s4 (In doing this) that

$an sho'ed 5ankru#tc% o" his $ind6 the death o" his 5rain4 (One $ight ask

the$): >I" %ou kno' those #ersons "ro$ +akistan co$e here to see $e6 %ou

hae so large a I (Intelligence iision) 'h% are those #ersons not arrested

on their 'a%? Then6 the% return "ro$ here4 Wh% are the% not a##rehended at

that ti$e? I" %ou (the leaders o" the &oern$ent) kno' that the% co$e to see

$e then %ou $ust 5e in league 'ith the$ and the% $ust 5e co$ing6 gettingout and returning 'ith %our #er$ission4> To this the% hae not gien an% re#l%

in the ne's#a#ers*+5.-

Fro$ this alone 'e can sa"el% conclude that Sant Jarnail Singh had no links

'ith +akistan and the Sikh $oe$ent 'as not created 5% +akistan to 'eaken

India4 Sant Jarnail Singh neer 'ished to go to +akistan to isit Sikh

&urd'aras le"t 5ehind during the #artition 5ecause he did not 'ant to

re$oe his ,ir#an4 The Indian goern$ent and its #ro#onents to this da%

hae not #resented an% shred o" eidence to alidate their #oint4 I" "or the

sake o" the argu$ent 'e assu$e that so$eone "ro$ +akistan 'as isiting

Sikhs during the struggle6 it #roes that the +akistani goern$ent

s%$#athi8ed 'ith the Sikhs $ore than the Indian goern$ent4 Indira &andhi

or an% goern$ent oGcial "or that $atter neer a##roached the Sikhs "or

#eace"ul negotiations to sole the +un7a5 situation4 This onl% sho's that

'hereas a "oreign goern$ent 'as reaching out to the Sikhs6 the Indian

goern$ent 'as un'illing to hold talks 'ith its o'n citi8ens to reach a

resolution6 thus6 sho'ing no care to the Sikh cause4

&ii' A)ent o; Con)ress

The $%th o" Sant Jarnail Singh 5eing an agent o" ongress 'as started and

#ro#agated 5% archand Singh Longo'al at the 5ehest o" Indira &andhi4 2oth

had the sa$e $otie to 'ean Sikhs a'a% "ro$ the $agnetic #ersonalit% o"

Sant Jarnail Singh6 to 5le$ish his true i$age and kee# ahold o" their #olitical

#ositions4 Indira &andhi 'anted to a##ease the $a7orit% indu 'hile

Longo'al 'anted to kee# his #olitical s'a% oer the Akali #art%4 Indira &andhi

had "ailed to su##ress the Sikh $oe$ent and 'in oer Sant Jarnail Singh to

her side4 The onl% 'a% le"t "or her 'as to s#read ru$ors4 Reali8ing that no



Sikh 'ould 5eliee her6 she $ade a truce 'ith Longo'al to 5e her

s#okes#erson against Sant Jarnail Singh4 r4 A4 R4 arshi e!#lains:

;aking "ull use o" her i$$oral treaties on #olitics Indira &andhi at 3rst tried

to 'oo Sant 2hindran'ale 'ho 'as the real "orce 5ehind the hara$ udh

;orcha4 2ut he 'as a $an o" deter$ination and an e$5odi$ent o" the tenetso" the ,halsa4 e6 there"ore6 s#urned all trick% $oes $ade 5% Indira &andhi4

Failing to 'ean hi$ a'a% "ro$ his $ission she tried to isolate hi$4 To achiee

that she turned her "ace to Longo'al 'ho "ell #re% to her ga$e as the% 'ere

hankering onl% a"ter #olitical #o'er and she 'as read% to thro' the$ that

5ait4 The% 'ere a##eased and 5ri5ed 5% her 5% #ro$ising the$ to hand oer

#olitical #o'er4 In return6 the% 'ere reuired to diide the Akali al and

isolate Sant 2hindran'ale4 In order to ca$ou=age their treacherous acts

Longo'al and his su##orters launched a "ull scale oMensie against Sant

2hindran'ale and 5randed hi$ as agent o" the ongress4 The% 'ent to the

e!tent o" du55ing hi$ as e!tre$ist6 se#aratist and traitor to the Sikh +anth4

This is 'hat Indira 'anted and e!#ected4 It 'as his greatness that he neer#assed an% inecties against his $aligners4 e si$#l% 5ut 3r$l% said that

ti$e 'ill #roe 'ho 'ere ongress agents and traitors to the +anth*+5/-

Longo'al not onl% started a icious #ro#aganda o" lies 5ut also 5anned Sant

Jarnail Singh "ro$ s#eaking in ;an7i Sahi5 (s#eaking hall) 'hich Sant Ji

hi$sel" reealed in his s#eech on CD A#ril CDEB4 Longo'al also tried to

conince &iani ,ir#al Singh (head o" Akal Takhat Sahi5) to e!co$$unicate

Sant Jarnail Singh to urge Sikhs to dissociate the$seles "ro$ hi$ 5ut &iani

,ir#al Singh re"used to co$#l% 'ithout an% #ro#er reasons4 Sant Jarnail Singh

5eing a isionar% and a "ar-sighted $an did not utter a single 'ord against

Longo'al 5ecause he 'ished the Sikhs to re$ain united against the Indian

goern$ent and taking an% action against the lies o" Longo'al 'ould hae

created "actions 'ithin the Sikh grou#s4 Sant Jarnail Singh6 ho'eer6 gae

#ro#er re#lies to the $isconce#tions 5ut not once did he $ention Longo'al

or s#eak against hi$4 In June6 CDEB Sant Jarnail Singh 5eca$e a $art%r

sacri3cing his li"e "or the Sikh cause 'hile de"ending ar5ar Sahi5 'hile

Longo'al 'as sa"el% escorted out and taken to an unkno'n location 'here he

lied a laish li"est%le all the 'hile Sikhs 'ere 5eing hunted do'n and killed4

A"ter a 'hile6 Longo'al ca$e out in the o#en and 'ith goern$ent

assistance 5eca$e the head o" the Akali +art%4 Then he signed a Ra7i-

Longo'al Accord 'hich 'as against the Sikh de$ands4 For his treacherousrole6 he 'as gunned do'n 5% Sikh "reedo$ 3ghters4 Thus6 it 'as hi$ 'ho

'as the real traitor and an agent o" ongress not Sant Jarnail Singh4

So$e 'riters and 7ournalists "alling #re% to this $isconce#tion assert that

Sant Jarnail Singh 'as 5acked 5% ongress 'ith 'hose su##ort his #o#ularit%

and "a$e gre' 'ithin the Sikh circles4 The% assert that ongress 'anted to

use hi$ to 'eaken the Akalis4 For e!a$#le6 *ir Sanghi6 states that ail Singh



"ailed to arrest Sant Jarnail Singh een a"ter it had 5eco$e clear that he 'as

a K$an o" iolence and let hi$ esca#e "ro$ ar%ana*+51- o'eer6 he

#resents no credi5le eidence to su##ort his ie'#oint4 is $ere con7ectures

onl% echo the oGcial ersion and are not alid #roo"s against Sant Jarnail

Singh4

These #aid #u##ets do not #resent an% credi5le source as eidence to 5ack

u# their clai$4 Sant Jarnail Singh 'as the head o" a$da$i Taksal (a Sikh

religious school) 'hose na$e is 'ell kno'n in the Sikh co$$unit%4 Sant

Jarnail Singh s#ent his childhood under the guidance o" Sant ,artar Singh

"ro$ 'ho$ he receied religious education6 $entorshi# and o5sered Sikh

#olitical struggle4 is 'hole character 'as deelo#ed and $olded according

to the Sikh teachings4 Sant ,artar Singh 'as kno'n to 5e a strict "ollo'er o"

the Sikh religion and a ke% 3gure in the struggle against the goern$ent

during the ti$e o" $ergenc% Rule4 is role and #reaching against the

goern$ent hired .1irankaris/ 'as also signi3cant4 2ecause o" these reasons6

Indira &andhi considered a$da$i Taksal a shar# thorn in her #olitical"oothold4 She 'anted to eli$inate a$da$i Taksal at all cost4 Thus6 it is

inconceia5le that she 'ould choose one o" the 5est students o" Sant ,artar

Singh as her agent4

0uestioning 'h% Indira &andhi 'ould choose such a $an6 ;ark Tull%6 a 22

7ournalist o" the ti$e6 res#onds 5% asserting that Sant Jarnail Singh K'as

chosen "or his religious "eror and so that he could take a stand against the

Akalis and Kongress 'anted to groo$ hi$ to sing their tunes9+53-*

o'eer6 Sant Jarnail Singh at the ti$e had alread% 5een groo$ed 5% his

religious school to sing the tunes o" the Sikh religion4 e 'as a religious 3gure

rather than a #olitical one6 and going against the Akalis $eant de"eating

the$ on #olitical #lat"or$4 ;ark Tull% hi$sel" con3r$s that Sant Jarnail Singh

'as a Knatural "anatical religious leader than a natural #olitician54- then

'h% 'as ongress not 'ise enough to choose so$eone 'ho 'as a 5it

e!#erienced and #ossessed leadershi# skills in #olitics? In CD6 'hen Sant

,artar Singh died6 Sant Jarnail Singh 'as called "ro$ his #ersonal residence

and unani$ousl% a##ointed the ne!t successor4 ongress had no inole$ent

in this $atter4 In CDE6 'hen C Sikhs 'ere $art%red6 it 'as Sant Jarnail

Singh 'ho raised his oice against the goern$ent4 On the other hand6 the

Akalis o5e%ed eer% co$$and o" the goern$ent 5% #roiding hel# to the

#er#etrators and escorting the$ sa"el% out o" +un7a5 in goern$ent o'nedehicles4 This sho's that "ro$ the ti$e o" Sant Jarnail Singh/s a##oint$ent6

the Akalis sided 'ith the goern$ent and there"ore6 ongress did not need to

take an% ste#s to 'eaken the$4 Additionall%6 Sant Jarnail Singh neer

o##osed Akalis on an% #olitical #lat"or$ and een during his religious

discourses and nu$erous lectures and interie's he strongl% conde$ned the

goern$ent rather than the Akalis4



Further6 een the #eace"ul struggle that 'as launched 5% the Akalis in CDE@s

'as not actiel% su##orted 5% the Sikh $asses4 ;a7orit% o" the Sikh oice 'as

5ehind Sant Jarnail Singh 'hose ins#irational s#eeches 'ere attracting all

leels o" Sikh societ%4 en the #eace"ul struggle did not catch an%

$o$entu$ until Sant Jarnail Singh oMered his su##ort and actiel%

#artici#ated in it4 Thus6 it is ridiculous to clai$ that the goern$ent 'antedto 'eaken the Akalis 'hen the% 'ere neer strong enough to o##ose the

goern$ent to 5egin 'ith and 'ere eer read% to 5etra% their o'n #eo#le to

gain $ore #o'er4 The goern$ent neer took the$ seriousl% and onl% 'ished

to su##ress Sant Jarnail Singh/s #reaching actiities4+55N Additionall%6 the

Akalis had alread% 7oined hands 'ith the 2J+ (2harti%a Janta +art%) and

there"ore 'ere not in an% #osition to inde#endentl% 'in the elections4 I" at all6

the goern$ent should hae targeted the 2J+ to 'eaken the Akalis rather

than #icking a no5le $an like Sant Jarnail Singh 'ho neer entered #olitics

and had no desire to hold an% #olitical oGce4

This $isconce#tion "alls =at on its "ace 'hen 'e consider the "act that theAkalis 'ere secretl% co$$unicating 'ith the ongress goern$ent 'hile the

struggle 'as continuing in "ull "orce4 The letters 'ritten 5% Longo'al and

&urcharan Singh Tohra e!#ressed their desire to the goern$ent to take strict

action against Sant Ji and to eli$inate hi$4 These letters also con3r$ the "ull

su##ort o" the Akalis 'as e!tended to the goern$ent*+56-

ongress could hae chosen an% #erson and #o#ulari8ed hi$ using its $edia

7ust like it did in case o" &ur5achan6 a characterless leader o" the so-called

1irankaris4 hoosing so$eone like Sant Jarnail Singh 'as i$#ossi5le 5ecause

he 'as dedicated and co$$itted to the Sikh ideals4 ongress needed

so$eone o" lo' character 'ho had no interest in #racticing religion6 'as

sel3sh6 could 5e easil% 5ought and #ersuaded to go against his o'n religion

and 5etra% his o'n co$$unit% "or $aterial 'ealth4 Sant Jarnail Singh 'as not

5ut Longo'al 'as that so$eone 'ho had no education and had entered

#olitics 7ust to gain 'ealth4 ad Sant Jarnail Singh 5een a ongress agent6 he

'ould hae 5een the "aorite o" goern$ent oGcials and he 'ould hae

indulged in at least so$e a$ount o" anti-Sikh actiities 5ut not een one such

incident is "ound throughout the entire li"e o" Sant Jarnail Singh4 Further$ore6

Sant Jarnail Singh 'ould hae started a se#arate Sikh #art% to 'eaken the

Akalis and the goern$ent $edia 'ould hae #rinted ne's in his "aor4 2ut it

is a kno'n "act that the $edia continued to #rint $isin"or$ation "ed 5% thegoern$ent and #la%ed a ital role in s#reading goern$ent #ro#aganda

against Sant Jarnail Singh to 5rand hi$ as terrorist6 se#aratist and an

e!tre$ist4

2% earl% CDEB6 the Akali #art% had 5eco$e nearl% i$#otent as the entire Sikh

oice su##orted Sant Jarnail Singh4 Laura Lo#e8 'rote in June CDEB:



2% earl% this %ear6 it 'as a##arent to her (Indira &andhi) that 2hindran'ale

had 5eco$e so #o#ular he had usur#ed the AkalisH authorit%6 leaing the

#art% i$#otent in negotiations and "ear"ul o" his iolent "anaticis$4 1o $atter

ho' long she talked to the Akalis6 ;rs4 &andhi concluded6 the% could neer

delier on an agree$ent that 'ould hold 'hile 2hindran'ale 'as alie*+57-

It 5eco$es clear that the negotiating talks 5et'een Indira &andhi and the

sell-out Akalis could %ield no result and could not a##ease the Sikhs 5% earl%

CDEB4 Thus6 had Sant Jarnail Singh 5een #lanted 5% the ongress to 'eaken

the Akalis6 the o57ectie had 5een achieed at least $onths #rior to the

attack4 Wh% then did the goern$ent hae to eli$inate the #erson (or its

agent) 'ho had "ul3lled his alleged gien $ission? There"ore6 it is a##arent

that Sant Ji 'as not an agent o" ongress4 The goern$ent and the indu

e!tre$ists sa' the reial o" Sikhis$ as a threat and cri$e against India to

eli$inate 'hich the attack and the Sikh genocide 'as chosen as the alid

o#tion 5% the goern$ent4 To achiee such a 'icked goal6 a ili3cation and

hate ca$#aign against Sant Ji 'as needed to de#ict hi$ as a cri$inal and aterrorist so that the goern$ent could easil% and 7usti3a5l% launch an attack

'ith its ar$%4

Traitors like +arta# ,airon6 ar5ara Singh6 &iani ail Singh6 Longo'al and

2eant Singh are 'ell kno'n "or their serices rendered to the goern$ent

and 5etra%al o" the Sikh co$$unit%4 Their actions against the Sikhs s#eak "or

the$seles 5ut 'hen it co$es to Sant Jarnail Singh there is not a single

action or 'ord that can 5e "ound against the Sikh co$$unit%4 e stood "or

Sikh rights 5ut the goern$ent agents al'a%s s#oke against the Sikh

de$ands and een took actie $easures to su##ress the Sikhs4 Whereas

goern$ent agents lied (and still lie) laishl% Sant Jarnail Singh led a

si$#le li"e4 Whereas the goern$ent al'a%s #rotected its agents6 Sant Jarnail

Singh 'as $art%red 5% the ar$% eui##ed 'ith tanks and hea% artiller%4

Since 'hen has the goern$ent eer launched a "ull scale attack to kill its

o'n agent? en a"ter so $an% %ears6 the goern$ent disa##roes o"

constructing an% $e$orial in his na$e and dis#la%ing his #icture in the Sikh

;useu$4 On the other hand6 the goern$ent designates "ederal holida%s on

the na$e o" its agents4 Those 'ho called Sant Jarnail Singh an agent or a

terrorist re$ained #olitical leaders and en7o%ed "aors at the hands o" the

indu goern$ent 5ut Sant Jarnail Singh lied and died like a true Sikh4 is

sacri3ce is considered heroic and he is considered a true $art%r and has5een gien the title o" .Sikh o" @th entur%/4 1o agent o" the goern$ent

could hae o5tained a closer #lace in the hearts o" the Sikhs as Sant Jarnail

Singh did and no agent could eer receie such res#ect and honor 'ithin the

Sikh nation4 is s#eeches to this da% hae the sa$e ins#iring and u#li"ting

eMects as the% did 5ack then4

All these argu$ents clearl% #roe that Sant Jarnail Singh 'as not an agent o"



ongress4 In "act6 it 'as the goern$ent 'ho $ade u# these lies4 %nthia

;ah$ood rightl% o5seres:

Whateer ties 2hindran'ale $a% hae had 'ith ongress in the earl% da%s6 it

'ould 5e $isleading to suggest that ongress >created> the 2hindran'ale

#heno$enon4E@Nere is a s%no#sis "ro$ Sant Jarnail Singh/s o'n s#eech deliered on

Se#te$5er @6 CDE concerning this $isconce#tion4

Who is it that kee#s calling $e an agent o" the ongress6 a traitor (to the

nation)? The &oern$ent has initiated these #lots to create dissensions and

diisions in the +anth6 to $ake us 3ght a$ongst ourseles6 in order to

#resere their o'n chairs (#ositions o" #o'er)4 We hae to guard against

these (sche$es)4 Tell $e i" ad$inistering A$rit (initiating #eo#le into the Sikh

"aith)6 teaching #eo#le to lie 5% the Rehat (Sikh code o" conduct)6 teaching

the$ to read &uruHs Word6 getting the$ to unite under the saMron 1ishaanSahi56 uniting the$ 'ith Siri &uru &ranth Sahi56 uniting the$ 'ith Akal

Takhat Sahi5 and ar$andar Sahi56 to 5e desirous o" de$anding6 and urging

the %oung $en to de$and6 7ustice "or the lost honor o" our daughters and

sisters6 "or the 5lood o" the innocents6 and "or insults against the Satguru6

and declaring su##ort "or the +anth6 not surre#titiousl% 5ut o#enl%6 i" all this is

the 'ork o" an agent o" the ongress6 then 'hat is the 5usiness o" the

others? I" this is the 'ork o" an agent6 I a$ an agent4 I" this is the 'ork o" a

5ad $an6 I a$ 5ad4 I" this is the 'ork o" a Jan Sanghi (a $e$5er o" the Jan

Sangh6 a radical indu #olitical #art%)6 I a$ a Jan Sanghi4 I" this is the 'ork o"

a ,ali6 I a$ a ,ali4 I" this is the 'ork o" an Akali6 in that case6 I a$ alread% an

Akali to start 'ithQ4The &oern$ent 'ill use $an% such tricks4 It is going totr% eer% 'hich 'a%6 een 5% 5u%ing so$e o" us oer *+6,-

Those 'ho call Sant Jarnail Singh an agent are the real agents4 The% are the

ones 'ho took side 'ith the Indian goern$ent and continue to 'rite in "aor

o" the goern$ent 'hile co$#letel% ignoring hu$an rights iolations in the

+un7a54 The real agents 5etra%ed Sikhs6 surrendered to the ar$% and hel#ed

the goern$ent kill thousands o" innocent Sikhs4 Sant Jarnail Singh o'ed to

3ght to de"end the honor o" ar5ar Sahi5 till his last 5reath and he lied u# to

it4 It 'as onl% a"ter his $art%rdo$ that the ar$% 'as a5le to enter ar5ar

Sahi54 is $ission ins#ired the 'hole Sikh generation to start a struggle "or

Sikh "reedo$ 'hich shall continue until it is achieed4

T#re(t to Ki"" Hindus

Whether Sant Jarnail Singh #reached iolence or hated an%one has alread%

5een re"uted #reiousl%4 ere 'e 'ish to address a s#eci3c incident that

inoled threatening to kill indus @@@ to 5e s#eci3c4 Indian goern$ent



and indu $a7orit% anno%ed 5% this state$ent $islead the general #u5lic

that Sant Jarnail Singh hated indus and considered the$ his ene$%4 This is

"ar "ro$ the truth4 Sant Jarnail Singh did not hate indus4 e addressed this

#oint in his "a$ous s#eech KI do not hate indus in 'hich he narrates $an%

e!a$#les o" hi$ hel#ing the indus4 We onl% gie the su$$ar% #oints o" the

s#eech de"ending his stance4

e rescued a daughter o" a indu na$ed uka$ hand "ro$ Jalala5ad4

e gae @@ ru#ees to ,ailash handar to get hi$ 5ack on his "eet a"terhis

sho# 'as caught on 3re and destro%ed4

In ,a#urthala6 a co#% o" Ra$a%ana (indu hol% 5ook) 'as 5urnt4 e s#ent

@@@ ru#ees on litigation to get the cul#rits #unished4

In A#ril CDE6 t'o indus died during KSto# the TraGc ca$#aign4 e gae

@@@ ru#ees to each o" the "a$ilies4

o$#lete details o" the a5oe "our e!a$#les can 5e "ound in his s#eeches4

This #roes that he had no en$it% "or the indus other'ise he 'ould not

hae oMered an% hel# to the$4 These state$ents are "ro$ @ Se#te$5er6

CDE4 ;an% o" his other #assages re"uting this $%th can 5e "ound in his

s#eeches4 1o'6 let us discuss the s#eech a5out threatening to kill @@@

indus4 The intent o" this state$ent can onl% 5e 'ell understood gien its

#ro#er conte!t6 5ackground and the circu$stance4

When the #eace"ul struggle 'as in "ull "orce and at its 8enith6 the goern$ent

started to deal $ore aggressiel% 'ith the Sikhs4 A5out @@ Sikhs 5eca$e

$art%rs4 ;an% 'ere cri##led in 7ail due to e!tensie tortures4 So$e 'eretortured to death4 &urd'aras 'ere destro%ed and &ur5ani +othis (Sikh ol%

Scri#tures) 'ere desecrated and 5urnt4 es#ite nu$erous a##eals to the

goern$ent6 the #er#etrators 'ere neer arrested4 The #olice took no action

and no case 'as eer registered4 Then a Sikh donated a 7ee# 'orth E@6@@@

ru#ees 'hich the goern$ent con3scated 'ith no reason or 7usti3cation4 Fie

Sikhs Jagir Singh6 ;angal Singh6 A7ai5 Singh6 A$rik Singh and Thara Singh

"ro$ the grou# o" Sant Jarnail Singh 'ere arrested 'ithout an% charge or

allegation o" cri$e4 Then the Sikh co$$unit% collected @@6@@@ ru#ees and

5ought a 5us "or the grou# o" Sant Jarnail Singh "or #reaching tours all oer

India4 This 5us 'as sent along 'ith so$e Sikhs to 5ring ;ata La5h ,aur (theold aged $other o" Sant ,artar Singh 6$entor o" Sant Jarnail Singh)4 This 5us

'as con3scated and all the Sikhs arrested 'ithout an% reason4 The #olice

sho'ed no care "or the elderl% $other and treated her 5adl%4 Sant Jarnail

Singh $ade an a##eal to release the innocent Sikhs 5ut it 'as ignored 5% the

goern$ent oGcials thinking that the Sikhs 'ill eentuall% uiet do'n4

o'eer6 the% did not reali8e that their $altreat$ent had reached an

un5eara5le e!tent and Sikhs 'ould not tolerate the arrest and $altreat$ent



o" their res#ected 'o$en4 As a last resort6 Sant Jarnail Singh issued a

state$ent that i" the 5us along 'ith all the #assengers 'ere not released 5%

#4$4 he 'ill kill 6@@@ indus in one hour4 As a result the goern$ent

co$#lied and all Sikhs 'ere released4

It is clear "ro$ the a5oe that the state$ent 'as issued as a last resort to getthe goern$ent to listen and 5e "air4 The $ost o5ious "act that is ignored 5%

$ost #eo#le is that the goern$ent not onl% acted uickl% 5ut also co$#lied

'ith the Sikh de$and u#on receiing the threat4 When hundreds o" Sikhs

'ere killed6 thousands arrested and desecration o" Sikh scri#tures had

ha##ened nu$erous ti$es6 the goern$ent re$ained inactie 5ut as soon as

the 'ord .indu/ 'as $entioned the goern$ent 'oke "ro$ its slu$5er to

#rotect the indu $a7orit%4 The uestion here is not 'h% the state$ent 'as

issued 5ut 'h% the goern$ent re$ained uiet in case o" Sikhs 5ut 5eca$e

actie "or the indus4 This sho's goern$ent/s 5ias6 #artial and

discri$inator% 5ehaior to'ards the Sikh co$$unit%4 There 'as no 7ustice "or

the Sikhs "ro$ the goern$ent 'ho onl% 'orked to a##ease the $a7orit%indus4 The $ost glaring "act staring us in the "ace is that the goern$ent

loed indus 'hile sho'ing no care to the religious senti$ents o" the Sikhs4

On the one hand6 the goern$ent and the indu $a7orit% raise a hue and cr%

oer Sikhs 5eing #art o" the indus and on the other attri5ute titles o"

Kterrorists6 Ke!tre$ists and Kdangerous onl% to the Sikhs4 Such 5igotr% can

onl% ste$ "ro$ racial discri$ination4

indus usuall% reason that those 6@@@ indus 'ere innocent and the

state$ent itsel" #oints to'ards terroris$4 We res#ond that hundreds o" Sikhs

'ho 'ere tortured to death 'ere euall% innocent4 Thousands o" Sikh #ilgri$s

'ho died during the O#eration 2lue Star attack and Sikhs killed in "ake

encounters 'ere also innocent4 Thousands o" Sikhs $assacred in 1oe$5er

CDEB 'ere euall% innocent4 What 'as their "ault? The% 'ere killed "or 5eing

Sikhs4 I" this is a 7ust reason then Sant Jarnail Singh/s state$ent 'as on the

sa$e line that he 'ould target indus "or 5eing indus4 This 'as no diMerent

than the goern$ent/s #olic%4 The diMerence 5eing that the goern$ent 'as

in=icted 'ith intolerance6 #re7udice and discri$ination 'hile Sant Jarnail

Singh 'as drien 'ith the $otie o" securing eual rights4 Further6 he onl%

issued the state$ent and did not act on it4 e did not kill a single indu4 On

the other hand6 the Indian goern$ent is res#onsi5le "or killing thousands o"

Sikhs4 indus killed $an% Sikhs in neigh5oring states and ra#ed Sikh 'o$en4An% logical and sane #erson 'ould agree that the real terrorist is the one 'ho

actuall% co$$its terroris$ as o##osed to the one 'ho $erel% $akes a er5al

clai$9 that also onl% as an idle threat used as negotiation4 ence6 the one

'ho acts is a greater terrorist than the one 'ho onl% issues a state$ent4 This

$akes indus and the Indian goern$ent real terrorists not the Sikhs4

The la' should 5e a##lied to all euall%4 This is the onl% 'a% "or diMerent



co$$unities to coe!ist in #eace and har$on%4 It is ironic that the

goern$ent agents la5el Sant Jarnail Singh as a terrorist 5ut $ake no

$ention o" atrocities and $ass killings co$$itted 5% the goern$ent

agencies and the general indu #u5lic4 It is not "air #ress 'hen a Sikh is

called a terrorist "or issuing a state$ent 5ut all indu leaders and "ascist

grou#s are considered .#atriots/ "or threatening to kill Sikhs4 Such re#ortersand 'riters hae sold their conscience6 soul and #en and surrendered their

'ill to the goern$ent "or 'riting against the Sikhs4 It 'as a case o" surial

o" 6@@@ indus ersus the entire Sikh nation4 Sant Jarnail Singh did not kill a

single indu 5ut the goern$ent launched a "ull scale attack 'ith its "ull

$achiner% to tr% and eli$inate the entire Sikh nation and crush its "ree s#irit4

There"ore6 the goern$ent 'as the real terrorist not Sant Jarnail Singh4

T#e W#(t i;% uestion

It is argued 5% so$e gulli5le and ignorant #eo#le "ro$ 'ithin the Sikh

co$$unit% that had Sant Jarnail Singh eacuated the hol% #lace6 the great

da$age and loss incurred could hae 5een aoided4 o'eer6 such a

state$ent is the #roduct o" their sheer ignorance and "oolishness o" #lacing

their trust in the Indian ar$% 'hile #ortra%ing the true de"enders o" the hol%

#lace as the K5ad gu%s4

We hae alread% discussed in detail that the goern$ent had no alid

reasons to attack the hol% #lace in the 3rst #lace4 There 'ere no terrorists

hiding and no $ass collection o" 'ea#ons inside the co$#le!6 the Sikhs

inside 'ere going in and out o" the #lace all the ti$e6 Sikhs 'ho "ought

against the ar$% 'ere not 'anted cri$inals nor 'as there an% 'arrant issuedagainst an% one o" the$ and the 'ea#ons the% had legiti$atel% acuired

'ere dul% licensed (u# until the ti$e 'hen the licenses 'ere 5iasedl% and

needlessl% reoked 5% the goern$ent in an atte$#t to disar$ the$ so that

the entire Sikh nation 'ill 5e de"enseless against the ar$%)4

Further$ore6 it has 5een #roen earlier that the ar$% had 5een #re#aring "or

an attack at least CE $onths #rior to June CDEB 'hen Sant Jarnail Singh had

not een shi"ted hi$sel" 'ithin the #recincts o" the co$#le!4 Thus6 to assert

that the ar$% 'ould not hae caused an% da$age had Sant Jarnail Singh

eacuated the co$#le! is 5ased on the "alse assu$#tion that the attack 'as

against Sant Jarnail Singh #ersonall% and not on the entire Sikh nation4 It is"oolish to assu$e that the goern$ent #re#ared and rehearsed the attack "or

CE $onths and sent in its heail% eui##ed ar$% 7ust to 3ght one single $an

inside a con3ned #lace 'ho could hae easil% 5een arrested at an% ti$e4 It

$ust 5e ke#t in $ind that nu$erous other &urd'aras in +un7a5 'ere also

attacked and innocent Sikh #ilgri$s 'ho had no links 'ith Sant Jarnail Singh

'ere arrested and killed4 The eents o" the attack and its a"ter$ath clearl%

#oint out to the "act that the attack 'as not against Sant Jarnail Singh 5ut



against the Sikh nation to destro% its source o" #o'er and ins#iration4 Sikhs

are a 5rae and courageous #eo#le 'ho do not tolerate an% assault on their

&urd'aras4 Sant Jarnail Singh dre' his ins#iration "ro$ the Sikh ideals and

histor% and sacri3ced his li"e de"ending the sanctit% o" ar5ar Sahi54 e had

done nothing 'rong4 Onl% a eunuch or so$eone 'ith no courage6 5raer%6

conscience and sel"-con3dence 'ould allo' the ene$% to attack his #lace o"'orshi# 'ithout #utting u# a 3ght4

The goern$ent has no right to inter"ere in the religious $atters o" the Sikhs

or "or that $atter6 an% other religious co$$unit%4 Sikhs can go to ar5ar

Sahi5 either "ull% ar$ed or not4 The goern$ent has no right to dictate ho'

Sikhs should isit their hol% #laces4 The "ault lies 'ith the goern$ent 'ho

deli5eratel% attacked the entire Sikh nation4 It should hae 5een the

goern$ent/s res#onsi5ilit% to ensure #rotection o" li"e and #ro#ert% o" its

citi8ens and the goern$ent should hae $ade #ro#er #lans so that the loss

o" li"e and #ro#ert% 'as $ini$i8ed4 o'eer6 to the contrar%6 the goern$ent

calculatingl% selected the da% 'hen the hol% #lace is $ost isited6 and thenonl% a"ter letting all #ilgri$s gather inside the te$#le6 attacked the co$#le!

'ith tanks4 Sant Jarnail Singh rightl% de"ended the hol% #lace4 1either did he

initiate the attack nor did he 3re the 3rst 5ullet4 The ar$% ke#t 3ring at the

hol% #lace to identi"% #ositions o" the de"enders and t%#e o" 'ea#ons the%

had 5ut the% receied no return 3re4 Sikhs onl% retaliated 'hen the ar$% had

entered the co$#le!4 r4 A4 R4 arshi states:

When the R+F o#ened 3re the ar$% oGcers 'ere #resent 5eside the$ 'ith

a ie' to o5sering and stud%ing the #ositions o" the de"enders o" the &olden

Te$#le o$#le!4 2ut the% could achiee little e!ce#t hitting the &olden

Te$#le and &uru Ra$ as Langar 5uilding 'here 2hindran'ale held his dail%

congregation*+6.-

ad he silentl% le"t the #lace6 it 'ould hae 5een a $atter o" a great sha$e

"or the entire Sikh nation4 The sa$e #eo#le 'ho i$#lore the #ossi5ilit% o" hi$

eacuating the co$#le! and thus allo'ing the ar$% to hae had a "ree reign

o" terror6 loot and destruction 'ould hae la5eled Sant Jarnail Singh as

co'ard and liar had he actuall% deserted4 These sa$e #eo#le hae done

nothing "or the sake o" the Sikh co$$unit% and $ade no contri5ution to the

#rogress o" the Sikh religion4 Lacking all rationalit% and co$$on sense the%

"ail to ans'er 'h% thousands o" Sikhs 'ere $ercilessl% $assacred a"ter theattack inside the hol% #lace and 'h% $ore than t'ent% thousand Sikhs 'ere

5rutall% killed in elhi and other Indian cities in 1oe$5er CDEB*+6/- Was

Sant Jarnail Singh there as 'ell? The Indian goern$ent had also attacked

ar5ar Sahi5 in CD and attacked +aonta Sahi5 in CDB4 Was it 5ecause o"

Sant Jarnail Singh? When Sant Jarnail Singh 'as alie the s#irit o" the Sikhs

'as at its #eak and #eo#le 'ere ado#ting Sikhis$ in droes4 A"ter the attack

not onl% 'as the s#read o" Sikhis$ su##ressed 5ut 5a#ti8ed Sikhs 'ere



s#eci3call% targeted and eli$inated to reduce the Sikh #o#ulation4 This

#roes that the goern$ent/s ulterior $otie 'as to destro% the Sikh religion

root and 5ranch4 The goern$ent sho'ed no care to the sanctit% o" the hol%

#laces6 religious senti$ents o" the Sikhs and 5asic hu$an rights o" the Sikhs4

The goern$ent destro%ed the Sikh &urd'aras6 su##ressed the Sikhs "or

decades and 5la$ed it all on Sant Jarnail Singh and using its $edia and sell-outs $anaged to conince the ignorant and "oolish $asses4

Forti"%ing the hol% #lace 'as not against the Sikh #ractices4 &uru &o5ind

Singh Ji had 5uilt 3e "orts to de"end against the hill kings and the ;ughal

ar$%4 er% goern$ent takes de"ensie ste#s and $easures to #rotect itsel"

"ro$ ene$% attacks4 A$assing 'ea#ons6 $ilitar% training6 contingenc%

#lanning etc4 are all #art o" #re#aration4 These corru#t goern$ents o" the

'orld do not hae an% diine right nor are the% su#erior to rest o" $ankind6

the% hae no right to carr% out such actions4 The Sikh nation has the diine

right to 5e a standing ar$% and collect 'ea#ons to de"end itsel" against all

ene$% attacks4 Sant Jarnail Singh 5eing a deout Sikh "ollo'ed the teachingso" the Sikh &urus and took the sa$e #recautionar% $easures4 On 'hat

grounds can he eer 5e classed as a a terrorist? is #re#arations 'ere so

$inor co$#ared to those o" the Indian goern$ent6 %et Sant Jarnail Singh

instead o" the goern$ent is la5eled as the terrorist4 ;oreoer6 "orti"%ing the

hol% #lace 'as carried out as a de"ensie $easure a"ter Sikhs had learned

a5out the goern$ent #re#arations to launch an attack4 Sant Jarnail Singh

had 'arned the Sikh $asses $an% ti$es in his s#eeches a5out the ineita5le

attack and the action Sikhs $ust take to co$5at the situation4+61N This

#roes that the attack 'as no sur#rise to hi$ or an%one else4 ad the attack

5een against Sant Jarnail Singh6 he 'ould hae eacuated the hol% #lacehi$sel" 5ut since he 'as 'ell in"or$ed o" the goern$ent/s intentions6 he

#re#ared to de"end the hol% #lace4 It 'as not his #ersonal 3ght 5ut a hara$

udh (righteous religious 'ar) "or 'hich he sacri3ced his li"e as he had o'ed

in case o" an attack4

There"ore6 'e conclude that Sant Jarnail Singh cannot 5e held res#onsi5le "or

the da$age caused 5% the goern$ent4 acuating the hol% #lace 'ould

hae 5rought $ore destruction6 killing and sha$e to the Sikh nation and Sant

Jarnail Singh and his 5rae co$#anions died 3ghting "or a no5le cause

re#elling the attack as $uch as the% #ossi5l% could hae4

L(st Words

In this article 'e hae addressed eer% co$$on $isconce#tion and $%th

regarding Sant Jarnail Singh4 I" a"ter reie'ing all this6 so$eone 'ho still has

dou5ts $ust #onder u#on the "acts that the de$ands raised 5% Sant Jarnail

Singh are still hanging and re$ain unresoled4 Sikhs are still considered

indus according to Article o" the Indian constitution and the% $ust



register their $arriage under Kindu ;arriage Act4 A$ritsar has still not

5een gien the status o" .hol% cit%/ 'hich 'as readil% granted to indu and

2uddhist cities4 handigarh6 the ca#ital cit%6 has not 5een right"ull% returned

to +un7a54 +un7a5/s 'ater and electricit% are still controlled 5% the central

goern$ent and 5eing gien "ree o" charge to the neigh5oring states o"

ar%ana6 Ra7asthan and elhi4 Sikh &urd'aras are still 5eing attacked6 "akeencounters are taking #lace in #olice stations6 'o$en are 5eing ra#ed and

the ol% Scri#tures are 5eing desecrated4 ri$inals 'alk "ree and Sikhs are

#unished "or #eace"ull% #rotesting6 +un7a5 has 5een =ooded 'ith drugs and

alcohol4 I$#osters are #osing the$seles as &urus and $isleading the

$asses4 I" Sant Jarnail Singh 'as the real cause o" the tur$oil in +un7a5 then

'h% has the +un7a5 situation gotten 'orse a"ter the Sikh $oe$ent has 5een

su##ressed? learl%6 the goern$ent no' "aces no o##osition and has an

o#en road to do eer%thing it 'ants to tr% and destro% the Sikhs and their

#ros#erit%4

Sant Jarnail Singh 'as the onl% #erson 'ho ke#t the goern$ent in check ande!#osed its des#otic 5ehaior and anti-Sikh actiities to the general $asses4

is no5le sacri3ce has earned hi$ the status o" .Sikh o" @th entur%/ 'hich

is due to loe and ad$iration the Sikhs hae "or hi$4 True heroes like hi$

hae al'a%s 5een 5randed as e!tre$ists6 se#aratists and terrorists 5% the

o##ressie regi$es 5ut the truth shall #reail4 Just like ;ughal and the 2ritish

$#ires that considered Sikhs as terrorists hae anished6 the Indian regi$e

too shall disa##ear "ro$ the $a# o" this 'orld4 A da% shall co$e 'hen Sikhs

'ill 5eco$e soereign rulers o" their ho$eland and Sant Jarnail Singh 'ill get

his due res#ect and honor in histor% 5ooks4 As long as the 'orld lies6 the

na$e o" Sant Jarnail Singh 'ill 5e re$e$5ered in the hearts o" the Sikhs as atrue Sikh6 $art%r and a great 'arrior4 is na$e 'ill continue to e!ist in the

$e$or% o" Sikhs and his li"e 'ill continue to ins#ire "uture generations o"

Sikhs to 3ght against t%rann%6 o##ression and in7ustice4 In the 'ords o" A4 R4

arshi:

Sant 2hindran'ale 'as a genius and a 5orn leader co$#ared to archand

Longo'al4 e had "ar greater ision and "oresight4 e had a re$arka5le

inuisitie insight and intuitie #o'er4 e 'as a s%$5ol o" indo$ita5le

courage6 alor and s#iritual #o'erQ44Such a leader is 5orn once in a 'hile*

+63-

;a% &uru Sahi5 5less the Sikh nation 'ith $ore Sikhs like Sant Jarnail Singh4

Notes (nd Re;erences

CN4 India Toda%6 C ece$5er CDE6 #age





CDN4 K&un 2attle Rages in the Sikh ol% Shrine4 The Ti$es6 June CDEB4 #4 C

@N4 The Ti$es4 June CDEB4 #4

CN4 eol6 Sonia4 CDEB: A Sikh Stor%4 Interie' 'ith e%e'itnesses4 @C@4

N4 The &uardian6 CBth June CDEB

N4 hristian Science ;onitor6 Eth June CDEB

BN4 A$rit Wilson6 1e' States$an4 Cth 1o CDEB

N4 Rao6 A$i%a6 Aur5indo &hose6 Sunil 2hattachar%a6 Te7inder Ahu7a and

144 +ancholi4 Re#ort to the 1ation: O##ression in +un7a5 (PS ed4)4 olu$5us

(Ohio): A Sikh Religious and ducational Trust +u5lication6 CDE4 +rint6 #4 BB

N4 +ettigre'6 Jo%ce4 The Sikhs o" +un7a54 London: ed +u5lishers6 CDD4

+rint6 #4

N4 eol6 Sonia4 CDEB: A Sikh Stor%4 Interie' 'ith ,uldi# 2rar4 @C@4

EN4 Singh6 ali#4 &uru &o5ind Singh and ,halsa isci#line4 A$ritsar: Singh

2rothers6 CDD4 +rint6 #4

DN4 Shashtar 1aa$ ;aala #art o" Sri asa$ &ranth4

@N4 &andhi6 Sur7it Singh4 Sikhs in CEth entur%4 +F 3le4 #4 CBD

CN4 Sukh'ant Singh Jalal5ad (@@B)4 ;aas e heethra% Pdd ,e Saraan

ian ee'aran 1aal Lagga% Sann (+ieces o" Flesh 'ere stuck to the Walls o"

Sarai)4 In +ra5hsharan5ir Singh (d4)6 +atiala: Sikh Students Federation4 ##4

ED-D

N4 eol6 Sonia4 CDEB: A Sikh Stor%4 Interie' 'ith ,uldi# 2rar4 @C@

N4 I5id4

BN4 arshi6 #4

N4 a"arna$a 5% &uru &o5ind Singh Ji4

N4 Sandhu6 Ran5ir Singh4 Struggle "or Justice4 u5lin: Sikh ducational and

Religious Foundation6 CDDD4 +rint6 #4 E

N4 arshi6 #4

EN4 I5id4

DN4 Singh6 +at'ant6 and ar7i ;alik4 +unia5: The Fatal ;iscalculation4

+at'ant Singh: 1e' elhi6 CDE4 +F 3le6 #4 CBD



B@N4 arshi6 #4 CC

BCN4 1arang6 Saroo# Singh4 2ahadar Sikh ,au$ ,ien +in7ra% h +a%eee

(o' the 2rae Sikh 1ation 'as nslaed)4 Wolerha$#ton: &uru 1anak

+arkashan Acade$%6 CDDE4 +rint6 #4 CD

BN4 2han'ar6 4S4 iar% e +anne (+ages o" iar%)4 A$ritsar: S4&4+446 @@@4+rint6 #

BN4 Singh6 Taleen4 The +un7a5 Stor%4 d4 A$ar7it ,aur et al46 Roli 2ooks: 1e'

elhi6 CDEB4 +rint6 #4

BBN4 arshi6 #4 @

BN4 I5id6 #4

BN4 Singh6 ,hush'ant (CDE)4 The 2rink o" the A5%ss4 In +at'ant Singh and

ar7i ;alik (d4)6 +unia5: The Fatal ;iscalculation (#4 C@)4 +at'ant Singh:1e' elhi4

BN4 arshi6 #4 B@

BEN4 I5id6 #4 D

BDN4 I5id6 #4 E

@N4 White +a#er on The +un7a5 Agitation6 &oern$ent o" India6 C@ Jul% CDEB

CN4 States$an6 Jul% C6 CDEB

N4 1a%ar6 ,uldi# and ,hush'ant Singh4 Traged% o" +un7a54 *ision 2ooks:

1e' elhi6 CDE4 +rint6 #4

N4 Sachchidanand4 Sinha6 Jasir Singh6 Sunil6 &4,44 Redd%: Ar$% Action in

+un7a5: +relude and A"ter$ath4 Sa$ta ra: elhi6 CDEB4 +rint6 ##4 E-D

BN4 Sandhu6 Ran5ir Singh4 #4 D

N4 I5id46 #4 !!ii

N4 I5id46 #4 !!i!

N4 Sandhu6 Ran5ir Singh4 #4 C

EN4 arr% Reasoner6 2S 1e's @ $inutes6 C@ June CDEB

DN4 Sant Jarnail Singh s#eeches ;a% CDE6 C August CDE6 @ Se#te$5er

CDE6 E ;arch CDEB6 and the interie' on Fe5ruar% CDEB

@N4 Sandhu6 Ran5ir Singh4 #4



CN4 Singh6 ,hush'ant4 A istor% o" the Sikhs (*ols : CED-CDEE)6 (nd ed4)4

O!"ord Pniersit% +ress: elhi6 @@B4 +rint6 ##4 B-

N4 *andana Shia4 The *iolence o" the &reen Reolution4 Research

Foundation "or Science and colog%6 ehra un6 CDED4

N4 S#eeches on C August CDE6 @ Se#te$5er CDE and E ;arch CDEB4

BN4 Singh6 Surinder7it6 #ersonal co$$unication6 Januar% CDE

N4 arshi6 #4

N4 Arun Shourie: The onseuences o" +andering4 Indian !#ress6 ;a% C6

CDE4

N4 Wali6 ;4;4,4 (CDEB)4 The Ar$% Action at &olden Te$#le4 In +at'ant

Singh and ar7i ;alik (d4)6 +unia5: The Fatal ;iscalculation (#4 CB)4 +at'ant

Singh: 1e' elhi4EN4 1a%ar6 ,uldi# and ,hush'ant Singh4 Traged% o" +un7a54 *ision 2ooks:

1e' elhi6 CDE4 +rint6 ##4 C-

DN4 Sandhu6 Ran5ir Singh4 #4 CC

@N4 arshi6 #4

CN4 +uri6 Ra7inder4 KRe$e$5ering CDEB4 The Tri5une4 1oe$5er @@4

We54 ece$5er @C4

N4 Sandhu6 Ran5ir Singh4 #4 CD

N4 arshi6 #4 E

BN4 Sanghi *ir4 The &iani and 2hindran'ale4 I$#rint6 Fe5ruar% CDE

N4 eol6 Sonia4 CDEB: A Sikh Stor%4 Interie' 'ith ;ark Tull%4 @C@4

N4 I5id4

N4 Sandhu6 Ran5ir Singh4 #4 !!ii

EN4 Singh6 +ra5hsharan5ir4 Saka EB4 +atiala: Sikh Students Federation6 @@B4

+rint6 ##4 @C-@

DN4 Laura Lo#e84 India: ia$onds and the S$ell o" eath4 Ti$e ;aga8ine4

June CDEB6 #4 B

E@N4 ;ah$ood6 %nthia4 Fighting "or Faith and 1ation4 Pniersit% o"

+enns%lania +ress: +hiladel#hia6 CDD4 +rint6 #4 E@

