Political News

Badal Dal leaders face embarrassment at the hands of pro-freedom Sikh leaders during Bapu Tarlok Singh’s bhog

May 18, 2015 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

Gurdaspur, Punjab: Senior politicians of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) had to face embarrassment when members of pro-freedom Sikh groups accused them for changing stand on Sikh issues and adopting dual stance on “Sikh martyrs” during bhog and antim sanskar of Bapu Tarlok Singh, father of Shaheed Satwant Singh.

It is notable that most of the speakers were associated with ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), where as numerous leaders of pro-freedom Sikh groups were not allowed to speak at the pretext of shortage of time. But few, who spoke on the occasion serious against Badal Dal leaders and accused for abandoning the cause of the Sikh nation.

In the presence of Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, pro-freedom Sikh leaders reminded the Badal Dal leaders of the 1980s when their senior leaders like Parkash Singh Badal spoke of the atrocities being committed against Sikhs by the then Congress government headed by Indira Gandhi.

They also pointed to Badal burning copies of the Constitution to register his protest against the central government over non-acceptance of the demands of Punjab.

“Now you seem to have forgotten all such issues which were dear to Sikhs. Now you do not even want to discuss the Anandpur Sahib resolution,” said Dal Khalsa leader HS Dhami while addressing the gathering.

Present on the occasion were chief parliamentary secretary Virsa Singh Valtoha, former MLAs Balbir Singh Baath, Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal and Suchha Singh Langah and a few others. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee executive member Rajinder Singh Mehta and Bhai Manjit Singh were also present.

Without referring to the specifically to Badal Dal leaders present, Dal Khalsa chief Harcharanjit Singh Dhami ridiculed them for coming to attend the bhog ceremony of a person who was the father of Shaheed Satwant Singh, who had been declared a “shaheed of the Sikh community” by the Akal Takht.

“At such gatherings some individuals will talk in glowing terms of the “martyrs” of the “quam” (nation) but when they appear before television channels or the print media, they shy away from “even remotely making a mention of those who had given their lives for the sake of the community”, he said.

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader and former MP Dhian Singh Mand also spoke in the same tone, ridiculing the ruling Badal party leaders for giving up the demands that had led to the launching of the ‘dharam yudh morcha’ in the eighties.

Interestingly pro-Badal Sant Samaj leader Jasbir Singh Rode sensed the mood of gathering and despite being close to the ruling Badal Dal, he also targeted the Badal Dal leaders.

Badal Dal leaders paid tributes to Tirlok Singh while referring to Shaheed Bhai Satwant Singh’ martyrdom.

Shaheed Satwant Singh and Shaheed Beant Singh had assassinated the then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. Indira Gnadhi was responsible for ordering army attack on Darbar Sahib (Amritsar) and dozens other Sikh Gurdwaras in Punjab and adjoining states in June 1984.

Shaheed Beant Singh was martyred by Indira Gandhi’s security on October 31, 1984; but Bhai Satwant Singh had survived the incident. He was sentenced to death and was martyred on January 6, 1989 along with Shaheed Kehar Singh.

Tweet

---

To Get Sikh Siyasat News Alerts via WhatsApp:

(1) Save Our WhatsApp Number 0091-855-606-7689 to your phone contacts; and
(2) Send us Your Name via WhatsApp. Click Here to Send WhatsApp Message Now.

Sikh Siyasat is on Telegram Now. Subscribe to our Telegram Channel

---

Related Topics: Punjab Police, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)

Leave a Reply