Shaheed Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Harjinder Singh Jinda

Jandiala/Amritsar (September 26, 2010): Bhai Sukhdev Singh and Harjinder Singh, commonly known as Bhai Sukha-Jinda, shall be remembered on 10 October, 2010 at Village Gadhli, near Jandiala Guru in Amritsar District of Punjab. Duo were sentenced to death for assessinating former Army chief of India, Arun Vaidya, who headed the Indian Army in June 1984, when Sri Darbar Sahib (Amritsar), also known as the Golden Temple, was attacked by it. The death sentence was executed on 9^th of October in 1992 at Yerwara jail (Pune), as duo had refued to make any appeal against the sentence. Since then their death anniversary is observed as ‘martyrdom day’ by Sikhs across the world. A special function is also organized at Sri Akal Takhat Sahib to mark their martyrdom.

As per information available with SikhSiyasat Network, this year the function to celebrate the ‘martyrdom day’ shall be held on 10^th of October. The decision is reportedly taken in a meeting of various Sikh leaders with family members of Bhai Sukha-Jinda, held at Village Gadhli. It is learnt that 9^th of October also marks the Gurpurb celebrations of fourth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Ram Das Ji.

Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema, Secretary General of SAD (Panch Pardhani) informed SSN that the decision was taken in accordance with the wishes of Sikh Sangat, who wish to attend both the functions. To overcome the collusion of dates, it is unanimously decided to observe the martydom day of Shaheed Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh Sukha on 10 October.

Bhai Sukha-Jinda is said to have repeated the Sikh history by elimiating Arun Vaidy, who was considered to be responsible for mass level killings of Sikh devotees by Indian Army during ‘Operation Blue Star’. They were equated with Bhai Sukha Singh and Mehtab Singh, who had chopped the head of Massa Ranghar in eighteenth century; Massa was responsible for committing acts of utmost disrispect to Sri Darbar Sahib, considered to be heart of the Sikhs. Bhai Sukha-Jinda fought for securing self rule for Sikhs. They worked for the establishment of Sovereign Sikh State, called Khalistan.

After arrest they admitted the murder of Arun Vaidya and calrified that they had followed the path of justice, as is marked by the history. When the sentence was pronounced by the Pune Court, they refused to appeal against the sentence. They wrote a letter to the President of India, not for mercy, but to show the real face of so-called largest democracy on the earth. This latter narrates the story of atrocities committed by independent India on Sikhs, and is a valuable document of contemporary Sikh struggle.