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Gurbachan Singh Manochahal

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Baba
Gurbachan Singh Manochahal
Jathedar of the Akal Takht
In office
24 June 1988 – 5 February 1993
Appointed bySarbat Khalsa
Acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht
In office
27 April 1986 – 26 January 1987
Preceded byGurdev Singh Kaunke
Succeeded byGurdev Singh Kaunke
1st Jathedar of Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan
In office
1984–1993
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byBalwinder Singh
Personal details
Born
Gurbachan Singh

(1954-06-06)6 June 1954
Manochahal, Tarn Taran, Panjab
Died28 February 1993(1993-02-28) (aged 38)
Rataul, Tarn Taran, Panjab
Known forFounder of Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan
Signature

Gurbachan Singh Manochahal (6 June 1954 – 28 February 1993) was Jathedar of Akal Takhat Sahib who founded the Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan in 1984.[1][2]

Manochahal was responsible for over 1,000 killings by the time of his death.[3]

Early life

[edit]

Gurbachan Singh was born on 6 June 1954 in a Chahal Jat Sikh family of village Manochahal, Tarn Taran district in the Indian state of Punjab to S. Atma Singh and Gurmej Kaur. He served in the Indian Army during his youth.

Manochahal was shot in the arm during the 1978 Sikh–Nirankari clashes. After this incident, he had maintained a relationship with Damdami Taksal and became acquainted with other members of the organization, such as Amrik Singh and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.[4] He soon became a close aid and associate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.[5]

Insurgency

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On November 11, 1985 Manochahal was surrounded in his home, in Manochahal the village, by a group of 20 officers led by the head of Punjab Police operations, Superintendent of Police M.M. Seti. The police had surrounded Manochahal based on a tip revealed from an informent. Manochahal opened fire on the police killing 1 officer on the spot. Seti and the remaining 19 officers fled from the scene dropping their weapons. Manochahal collected their weapons and left the scene. Seti and all officers involved faced ridicule for fleeing the scene.[6]

Manochahal was said to the head of Kharkus by police in the end of 1985. He would appoint specific Kharkus to led the actions and Kharku in certain districts. He appointed Dhana Singh to lead Gurdaspur, Manbir Singh to lead Jalandhar, and Jarnail Singh Halwara, the killer of Harcharand Singh Logowal, to lead Ludhiana and Patiala.[6]

Manochahal led a resolution at the 1986 Sarbat Khalsa to declare the resolve of a separate Sikh homeland and also formed a Panthic committee which would lead Sikhs per this resolution.[7]

He was appointed Jathedar of Akal Takht in April 1986 and resigned from the post in January 1987 in the “larger interest of the panth”.[8]

In the early days of the insurgency Manochahal lived in a hideout in the swamps of the Mand areas. He created many huts there and a Gurdwara. It is said that even if Manochahal was in battle he would complete his daily prayers. On top of the standard Sikh daily prayers he did two hours of meditation on Waheguru and 5 Sukhmani Sahibs.[9]

In 1987 Manochahal was removed from the Panthic Committee. He would later rejoin and be removed in May 1989. The reason was claimed to be for alleged looting, extortion, killing of innocents, and misuse of funds by him.[10] Although the real reason was internal differences. Manochahal wanted 1 person to led instead of a 5 person Panthic Committee.[11]

On June 14, 1987, BTFK claimed responsibility for the killing of 12 and injuring 20 in Delhi in a shooting. BTFK said, “'Killings squads have reached (New) Delhi and they will take revenge for the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots.”[12] Surjit Singh Penta carried out the killings.[13][14]

On July 30, 1987, BTKF claimed responsibility for an attack on Hans Raj Sethi, a BJP representative on the New Delhi City Council. He was shot dead with 6 bullets. He was considered a “father figure” for the BJP and RSS in Delhi. They next walked up to Sudarshan Munjal, a BJP member, in his driveway and killed him. Surjit Singh Penta carried out the killings.[13][14]

On June 23, 1988, Manochahal was appointed as official Jathedar of Akal Takht. He will hold the position until February 5, 1993.[15][16][17]

On the morning of June 25, 1989 KLF and BTFK members attacked Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members at their meeting at Nehru Park in Moga. 21 RSS members were killed with a police officer, a paramilitary home guard and a couple dying of a bomb blast after the shooting leaving a total of 25 dead and 31-35 injured. It has since been renamed to Shahidi Park meaning Martyr Park. According to police Sikhs opened fire with automatic weapons from a van killing 21 and injuring many. According to survivors bullets were sprayed on everyone. They then left the scene. Soon after a powerful bomb blast occurred which killed 4, injured more, and caused damage. A second bomb also blew up after, but it caused no damage or injuries. A curfew was announced immediately following the incident.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

On March 2, 1990, KCF faction chief Gurjant Singh Rajasthani and BTFK chief Gurbachan Singh Manochahal claimed responsibility for killing Amritsar Jail Superintendent Pyara Lal. They claimed he tortured Sikhs in prison.[26]

In April 1990 Manochahal with his BTFK, Khalistan Commando Force (Rajasthani), and Dashmesh Regiment (Matthewal) formed an alliance and created their own Panthic Committee.[27]

In 1992, a separate Panthic committee headed by Dr. Sohan Singh was forme. It called for the boycott of the 1992 Punjab Legislative Assembly election. Manochahal argued they should contest in the election. He argued that it was the only time to get Khalistan and it was now or never .His demands for an election led others calling him a government puppet. He decided not to contest after Sikh leaders kept calling for a boycott. The formation of this committee undermined the influence of Manochahal who was criticized for his support for political participation and led to a divide between the armed groups within Punjab.[28] Elections resulted in a Congress Government under Beant Singh of the Congress Party. The formation of this committee undermined the influence of Manochahal who was criticized for his support for political participation and led to a divide between the armed groups within Punjab.

To make Manochahal surrender himself police illegal detained many of his family members. Manochahal refused to surrender which led the detention, torture, and death of his family members.[4]

Per Maloy Krishna Dhar, a former Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau, India, he was given the task to negotiate with Gurbachan Singh Manochahal. He contacted Manochahal through a journalist source, was blindfolded and taken a few hundred kilometres from Amritsar to meet with him where he secretly held negotiations for three hours before he was blindfolded again and transported back.[29]

[30]

Death

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Manochahal carried a bounty of ₹30 lakh on his head. He was killed in a fierce police encounter on 1 March 1993 by Punjab Police. Manochahal escaped from the police's dragnet on 27 February in Bagrian village before the police cornered him in the nearby Rataul village the following day.

The encounter began at 3:45 PM when Police search team were fired upon by Manochahal and others. The Police search team requested immediate assistance. Soon 2 quick reaction teams led by 2 different Majors and the Commanding officer of the Rashtriya Rifles, Colonel arrived. So did many other senior officers. In 30 minutes over 225 army and police personnel began to cordon the area.[5] After defending himself for an hour with a machine gun, he was killed. The chief of the Punjab Police, Kanwar Pal Singh Gill later proclaimed, "Now I can say that we have finished militancy in Punjab."[31][32] Manochahal killed 12 officers including DIG (Deputy inspector general) Ajit Singh.[33]

Manochahal was responsible for over 1,000 killings by the time of his death.[3]

Views

[edit]

Manochahal had strong views on many issues. When asked about the size of the Sikh state he fights for Manochahal answered with, “Due to the foolishness of our leaders, the area over which the Sikhs once ruled has been allowed to shrink… What we do have in mind is the rule of Khalsa over the Delhi Takht because our war is against the Brahmin-Bania combine, which will not budge an inch without a struggle. We shall fight to the end.”[34]

When asked about whether he was willing to negotiate for something less than Khalistan Manochahal answered with, “Nothing short of Khalsa raj will be acceptable now. We shall negotiate only if Khalistan is on the agenda.”[34]

When asked what will happen to Sikhs outside lf Punjab and Hindus in Punjab Manochahal answered with, “Sikhs outside Punjab have been oblivious of our problems. Now I suggest that they set up a base in Punjab. It will be pragmatic, for some day they will have to shift here. We are not keen to expel or drive out Hindus from Punjab but they will have to reconcile to the existence of Khalistan.”[34]

Manochahal also pledged to die and not be arrested. Saying, “There is no going back now. My promise to the Waheguru is that I shall never be caught alive."[5]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Van Dyke, Virginia (2009), "The Khalistan Movement in Punjab, India, and the Post-Militancy Era: Structural Change and New Political Compulsions", Asian Survey, 49 (6): 975–997, doi:10.1525/as.2009.49.6.975

References

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  1. ^ Dang, Satyapal; Bakaya, Ravi M. (1 January 2000). Kharku lehar in Punjab. Gyan Books. p. 412 pages. ISBN 9788121206594.
  2. ^ Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley (1996). Fighting for Faith and Nation. Series in Contemporary Ethnography. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 159ff. ISBN 9780812215922.
  3. ^ a b "Rebel leader killed as police crack down on militancy - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b Punjab, Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in (2003). Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab : Final Report. Sikh Students Federation. p. 346. ISBN 978-99933-53-57-7.
  5. ^ a b c "After months of preparation, Punjab Police finally kills terrorist Gurbachan Singh Manochahal". India Today. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  6. ^ a b "उग्रवादियों द्वारा सिपाही की हत्या, एस. पी., पुलिसिये शस्त्र छोड़ भागे" [Constable killed by militant, S.P. and Police left their weapons and fled]. Punjabi Kesri. 11 November 1985. pp. 3, 14.
  7. ^ Van Dyke 2009, p. 990.
  8. ^ Walia, Varinder. "'Misdeeds' of stalwarts during militancy Amritsar ex-DC reveals it all". The Tribune. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  9. ^ Singh, Harjinder (2008). Game of Love. Akaal Publishers. p. 242. ISBN 978-0-9554587-1-2.
  10. ^ Crenshaw, Martha (1 November 2010). Terrorism in Context. Penn State Press. p. 395. ISBN 978-0-271-04442-2.
  11. ^ Pettigrew, Joyce J. M. (1995). The Sikhs of the Punjab : unheard voices of State and guerrilla violence. Internet Archive. London; Atlantic Highlands, N.J. : Zed Books. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-85649-355-0.
  12. ^ "Sikh radicals kill 12 with submachine guns - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Sikh extremists staged coordinated attacks in the capital today,... - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  14. ^ a b Kanth, Amod K. (18 December 2020). Khaki in Dust Storm: Communal Colours and Political Assassinations (1980–1991) Police Diaries Book 1. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-93-88630-89-4.
  15. ^ WSN. "Manochahal decides to 'quit' post". SIKH HERITAGE EDUCATION. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  16. ^ WSN. "5 Years Ago June 24, 1988 Panthic Committee appoints Maochahal Akal Takht chief". SIKH HERITAGE EDUCATION. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  17. ^ Gupta, Dipankar; Banerjee, Sumanta; Mohan, Dinesh; Navlakha, Gautam (1988). "Punjab: Communalised beyond Politics". Economic and Political Weekly. 23 (33): 1677–1684. ISSN 0012-9976. JSTOR 4378888.
  18. ^ "Shahidi Park | District Moga, Government of Punjab | India". Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  19. ^ "SIKH MILITANTS FIRE ON HINDU GATHERING IN PUNJAB". The Washington Post.
  20. ^ Swami, Praveen (29 March 2023). "Why does the ghost of Khalistan still haunt Punjab? Story of this father & son has answers". ThePrint. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  21. ^ Sabha, India Parliament Rajya. Parliamentary Debates: Official Report. Council of States Secretariat. p. 127.
  22. ^ Marwah, Ved (1997). Uncivil Wars: Pathology of Terrorism in India. HarperCollins. p. 393. ISBN 978-81-7223-251-1.
  23. ^ Singh, Mohinder (2000). Punjab 1999: Political and Socio-economic Developments. Anamika Publishers & Distributors. p. 264. ISBN 978-81-86565-76-6.
  24. ^ "Punjab militancy: 26 years on, Moga observes its 'darkest day'". The Times of India. 29 June 2015. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  25. ^ World Sikh News (Punjabi) June 30, 1989
  26. ^ World Sikh News (Punjabi) March 2, 1990 Page 2
  27. ^ Pettigrew, Joyce J. M. (1995). The Sikhs of the Punjab : unheard voices of State and guerrilla violence. Internet Archive. London; Atlantic Highlands, N.J. : Zed Books. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-85649-355-0.
  28. ^ Aggarwal, J. C. (1992). Modern History of Punjab: A Look Back Into Ancient Peaceful Punjab Focusing Confrontation and Failures Leading to Present Punjab Problem, and a Peep Ahead : Relevant Select Documents. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 167–169. ISBN 978-81-7022-431-0.
  29. ^ "Old men and their Official secrets - Times of India". The Times of India. 3 September 2006. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  30. ^ "The Rajiv Gandhi years". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  31. ^ "Indian police kill top Sikh guerilla". The Daily Gazette. 1 March 1993. p. 16.
  32. ^ "Manochahal killed in encounter". The Indian Express. 1 March 1993. p. 1.
  33. ^ Punjab, Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in (2003). Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab : Final Report. Sikh Students Federation. ISBN 978-99933-53-57-7.
  34. ^ a b c "We are in touch with militants in Assam and J&K: Gurbachan Singh Manochal". India Today. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
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