Continuation from : Jathebandi: Shahid Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar Part 2
Bhai Sukhdev Singh's Relationship With Sant Jarnail Singh
Since 1980, the Indian Security Forces had come to know of a youth called Sukhdev Singh, and had began to hunt him. So Bhai Sahib permanently shifted all command operations to Siri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar. It was here that stayed from 1980 till 1984. Babbar Khalsa had come into existence here.
Sant Jarnail Singh had established the Dharam Yudh Morcha. Bhai Sahib fully supported this movement. He also wished all the youth of Punjab to leave intoxicants and become Sikhs of the Guru.
Sant Jarnail Singh ji was also a highly spiritual and visionary Gursikh. He knew since the Shaheedi of Jathedar Fauja Singh, that hard times would fall on Sikhs and they needed to become Shahsterdhari (armed). He also knew anti-Panthik forces would do everything to divide the Sikh Youth to ensure that Sikh demands are not met. The Sikh youth who were brave and full of spirit were in two Jathebandies; - Damdami Taksal and Akhand Kirtani Jatha. During the early 1980s, a meeting occurred between Sant Jarnail Singh ji and Bhai Joginder Singh Talwara. Bhai Amolak Singh was also sent to represent the youth as no organisation had formed at the time of this meeting. In this meeting it was agreed that no issues that divided these two groups would ever be allowed stop the common cause of the Sikh Nation.
Later as Babbar Khalsa came into existence, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale held them in high respect, and they are often mentioned in his lectures. Names like Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke, Bhai Manjit Singh Babbar are mentioned frequently.
Meeting in Jail
When Sant Jarnail Singh ji was in prison after being arrested in Chowk Metha, it was national news. Bhai Sukhdev Singh and Bhai Wadhava Singh walked into the police station armed with guns. The police realising who had just walked in, ran for their lives. Bhai Sukhdev Singh asked Sant ji to come with them and continue his Parchaar. Sant Jarnail Singh ji said he appreciated their courage, but has no need to go underground. Sant ji said his release had already been arranged legitimately.
Sant Ji respected the way Bhai Sukhdev Singh had quickly dealt with the Nirankaris "7 Sitarees" (their equivalent to our Punj pyares). Also how he had planned how Bhai Ranjit Singh would infiltrate Nirankari Baba Gurbachana house, and numerous other high profile actions.
Sacha Sukha (Truthful Sukha)
During 1983-84, the security services tried to divided the Singhs. It had been the wish of the security services that Sikh youth fight amongst themselves, creating enemies, and opportunities which could be used to gather information from rivals, and start them eliminating each other.
Some infiltrators dressed up as Singhs and robbed a Hindu mans store in Amritsar. They told him to leave Punjab or he will be killed. They pretended to be Sant Bhindranwales men. The distraught hindu shop keeper went to Darbaar sahib, and was told by sangat to see Bhai Sukhdev Singh, who was based at Baba Atal Sahib Gurdwara. Bhai Sukhdev Singh was upset that people are doing this is Gursikhi Baana (clothes), as it gives Gursikhs a bad name. When the Babbar Khalsa Singhs located these infiltrators, Bhai Sukhdev Singh got a laathi, ( a long Danda- wooden stick), tied them upside down from a tree and beat them with it. He made them give all the money back, and told them never to threaten any innocent again.
Other infiltrators tried to stoke up the Taksali Singhs against Babbars saying Sukhdev Singh had beat up these Singhs. Many rumours were circulated to get one group against another. Some of these rumours later even got published in books, to ferment differences between the groups. But Sant Ji knew this was not correct, and instead started refering to Jathedar Sukhdev Singh ji as "Saccha Sukha", (The Truthful Sukha).
Both Sant Ji and Bhai Sahib knew their fight was not against innocents. Sant ji, too was called in press as a Hindu hater, but facts show he was highly respected by many Hindus. The fight was only against those who choose to destroy Sikhism.
Even today, in books written about the Operation BlueStar refer to differences between the two leaders, which are baseless. Sant Logowal and Gurcharan Singh Tohra, both key Akali leaders at that time also sought to divide Sukhdev Singh and Sant ji. They were afraid of the growing prominence of Sant ji and the amount of youth with him. The only person capable of standing against him, who also had a lot of youth with him was Bhai Sahib. So these leaders also indulged in rumour mongering to divide the two Gurmukhs, and associated themselves with the Babbars.
Bhai Sahib realised these forces that were at work and so did Sant ji. Both shared a mutual respect and their common cause. However no differences directly arose between the two Gursikhs, despite the attempts of many. Both fought together at Operation Blue Star, as the story continues………
