Dear Editor,

Guru Fateh. At the very outset, I take this opportunity to sincerely congratulate Dr.G.S.Grewal for his write upon Gen Shabeg Singh, PVSM, AVSM, while paying tribute to the Sikh martyrs of 1984 (WSN June 4, 1993), The article is extremely informative and will benefit a great deal to those Sikhs who were here to fore ignorant about the General’s lineage, his illustrious career in the Army as also his association with Sant Jarnail Singh ji Bhindranwale.

The tyranny of the Indian Govt. against Sikhs can well be under stood from the treatment meted out to Gen Shabeg Singh, a very highly decorated soldier who selflessly served the nation in various capacities  be it liberation of Bangladesh or the conflicts with Pakistan or China in 1948, 62, 65 and 71.

The General could have easily chosen to lead a comfortable re tired life at Dehradun but instead he preferred to serve the Sikh community as a true and devoted Sevadar, He had realized that the Sikhs were discriminated against and he himself wanted to do his best by serving the Panth.

It was only due to his forethought and a very meticulous planning that devout Sikh martyrs in the Golden Temple complex were able to pose an extremely stiff resistance to the onslaught by a number of infantry battalions com posed of Dogras, Garhwalis and Madrasis,

It is a matter of extreme shame for the Indian Government that tanks and artillery were brought in to destroy the Supreme authority, of the Sikhs Shr Akal Takht, even though at that time it was defended by Sant Jamail Singh Ji Bhindranwale, Gen Shabep Singh and a handful of Sikh youth. But for the use of this heavy arsenal, the Indian army would have suffered such a crushing and humiliating defeat the kind of which it has not suffered even at the hands of Chines (1962) or Pakistanis (196571),

I wish to draw the attention of all true Sikhs the world over, to recite prayers for peace to all the Sikh martyrs of 1984 and to never forget the destruction of Shri Akal Takhat. The Sikh community as a whole should learn a lesson or two from the supreme sacrifice of lives by Sant Jarnail Singh ji Bhindranwale, Gen Shabeg Singh and those unknown Sikh warriors who gave their today forourbetter tomorrow,

Raj Singh, Escondido, CA.

Article extracted from this publication >>July 2, 1993