Family of Shaheed Bhai Harmandar Singh being honored
Sirsa, Haryana (KP) – Shaheed Bhai Harmandar Singh, who was martyred recently during a clash with the Sacha Sauda cult, was honored by different Panthic organizations this past week at his residence in Dabwali. Several Panthic leaders that attended the ceremonies included Singh Sahib Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, S. Simranjit Singh Mann, Baba Baljit Singh (Dadu Sahib), SGPC President Avtar Makkar, Baba Harnaam Singh Dhumma, Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee representative Bhai Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa.
The bhog ceremonies included recitation of Akhand Path Sahib, kirtan and speeches by Panthic personalities went peacefully despite the atmosphere being tense as Sikh leaders put the blame of Shaheed Bhai Harmandar Singh’s martyrdom on the Government for not taking any action against Gurmeet Ram Rahim. S. Simranjit Singh, SAD (A) President, openly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party for acting as a bystander.
A Rs.500,000 (5 lakh) check was presented to Bibi Manjit Kaur, Shaheed Bhai Harmandar Singh’s widow, by SGPC President Avtar Makkar who announced that the SGPC will bear all the educational expenses of Bhai Harmandar Singh’s children while a family member will be given employment by the organization. According to Makkar, Bhai Harmandar Singh was a martyr of the Khalsa Panth and it is the duty of all Sikh to provide assistance to the families of martyrs.
Meanwhile, as the Sikh Nation has continued protesting against the anti-Sikh activities of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the Dera Chief has continued to release propaganda through the media. After the bhog of Bhai Harmandar Singh’s final rites, the Dera Chief was followed by a large number of press reporters during a local ‘naam-charcha’ program at the Dera. While responding to the press questions, the Dera Chief said that the press should mediate to resolve the tensions that have been levitated by mischievous persons. Ram Rahim announced that he had nothing against the Sikhs as ‘thousands of Sikhs’ were his own followers.
Interestingly, when the dera chief was questioned on the necessity of a ‘holy man’ keeping such heavy personal security, Gurmeet Ram Rahim responded that if Raam and Krishan could deploy armies, why couldn’t he keep personal security? Not responding to the question about his bodyguards firing at Sikhs, the Dera Chief held that to raise a controversy over his personal security was unnecessary.
