Amrit Kaur Boparai & Dr, Awatar Singh Sekhon
Dr. Sohan Singh, retired Director of Health Services for Punjab and one of the main advisors of Saint Soldier Jamail Singh Khalsa (Bhindranwale), joined the Sikhs’ Struggle to regain the lost sovereignty of the Sikh nation, Khalistan. His primary motivation for joining the struggle was the Indian government’s indifferent treatment towards the citizens of Punjab, the denial to Punjab of control over its natural resources, inciting Punjab’s Hindus against Sikhs demands for their basic civil liberties, betrayals of promises made by Hindu Indian leaders, Jawaharlal Nehru, M:K. Gandl CL. Trivedi, G.L. Nanda, G.B. Pant, Vallabh Bhai Patel, Indira Gandhi, during India’s freedom struggle from the British and post-independence period. He was familiar with the incapability of the Sikh leaders, both of pre and post15th August, 1947. He was a close associate of Sirdar Kapoor Singh, an Indian Civil Service personnel and National Professor of Sikhism, who later became a victim of Nehru’s personal vendetta for not accommodating both Nehru’s interference in his administration and intimidation of politicians of the ruling party in Punjab and the federal government, Dr. Singh, during his professional career, witnessed the treatment Hindu rulers accorded to his community, entailing the denial of jobs to young Sikhs and discrimination against the initiated Sikhs in civil and other services. The climax was reached after ‘Operation Bluestar’, the Indian government’s all-out war, against the Sikh nation in June, 1984, which took the toll of more than 50,000 innocent children, and elderly, who had come to celebrate the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Sahib in the gurdwaras through ‘Out Punjab (Dilgeer HS, Sekhon AS 1992 The Sikhs’ Struggle for Sovereignty: An Historical Perspective (ed) A T Kerr, The Sikh Educational Trust, Box 60246, University of Alberta Postal Outlet, Edmonton, AB T6G 2S5, Canada), This undeclared war of Indian government, utilized the army, nay’s frogmen, air force and intelligence personnel, with the heavy usage of gunboat helicopters, heavy transport planes, tanks, heavy artillery guns, mortars, and rockets against the Sikhs who had gathered in their gurdwaras, including the Darbar Sahib Complex, to offer prayers. This action of the Indian government made Dr, Singh determined to free his people and his land from the slavery of India and its rulers, Dr. Sohan Singh decided to go underground (19841993) to organize a systematic movement for the peaceful liberation of Punjab, because of the shortcomings of Akalis, and members and chiefs of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee and Shromani Akali Dal, Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Harchand Singh Longowal. Dr. Singh perceived that these two chiefs had lost their integrity and the respect of the Sikhs. Both of them were shortsighted and gutless, Harchand Singh Longowal betrayed the Sikh nation by concluding an accord with Rajiv Gandhi, which remained on paper only. Dr, Singh could not tolerate that his youths, the future of his nation and leaders of tomorrow, were being mercilessly and indiscriminately butchered by the Punjab police and Indian armed personnel, at the direction of the New Delhi administration. Dr. Sohan Singh worked tirelessly, ‘with the support of youths for the independence of his nation, occupied by the Indian invader, many gave their lives in the struggle to regain the sovereignty of their Sikh nation. Unfortunately, on the fateful day ‘of Oct. 13, 1993, information given 10 the Indian government led to Dr. Singh’s arrest (abduction) in the neighboring country of Nepal (World Sikh News, Nov. 12, 1993), This did not come unexpected to Dr. Sohan Singh as he was aware that there were those in the community who supported neither Dr, Singh’s actions nor the cause of their nation. After being arrested, he was brought to Punjab and kept under strict surveillance ina7 x 9 foot cell, interrogated, harassed and tortured. Rumors, as usual, were spread by Punjab police officials including the Chief of Police, K.P.S. Gill, to demoralize him, his community and the Sikh nation. ‘Still, however, nothing could deter him and he always raises the slogan ‘‘Khalistan Zindabad meaning Long Live Khalistan, the Sikh Nation,” The Government of India is notorious for violating human rights and has been making charge after charge so that this 81yearyoung Sikh leader does not come out of imprisonment (World Sikh News, Nov.11, 94 & Dec.9, 94), to give another spark in the Sikhs’ struggle for sovereignty. Dr. Sohan Singh’s accomplishments in Sikh affairs include (i) to help prepare the Anandpur Sahib’s Resolution, (ii) the organization of seminars on the Sikh struggle for independence (197884), (iii) uniting the two great communities, the Sikhs and Muslims, and bringing the Shahi Imam Syed Abdul Bukhari on the same common platform of the Sikhs and Muslims with the limitless assistance of a young man, Sardar Gajinder Singh Khalsa (The Dal Khalsa Leader), (iv) assisting as author of, and advisor of the, Declaration of Khalistan’s Independence on April 29, 1986, (vy) member and Chief of the Panthic Committee, (vi) advising against the activities of Jain Muni and Ragi Darshan Singh (the former Bhagora Jathedar of Akal ‘Takht Sahib; World Sikh News, Dec.2. 94), (vii) the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Government of Afghanistan. In addition, Dr. Sohan Singh was against the selection of Baba Joginder Singh as Chief of Akali Dal, and the rebuilding of Kar Sewa of the Darbar Sahib Complexion. Dr. Singh was of the opinion that the young Sikh generation must see the destruction of their nation before it is rebuilt in a sovereign Khalistan following the: defeat of Hindu India. Dr. Sohan: Singh is a staunch supporter of the Khalsa Panth, Khalsa Sarkar (government) and Khalsa Raj (sovereign state). We pray before the Akal Purakh that the dream of our martyrs, Dr, Sohan Singh and: those who are channeling their energies to regain their lost sovereignty are realized soon, before the tum of the century. Dr. Sohan Singh ji, Bapu ji, you are always with us and live in our hearts. We will never forget your contribution to the Khalsa Panth’s struggle.
Na Sajo Na Bajo, Na laujo Farskna Khudavand Bakhshinde Ae Ais Arsh! (Zaparnama, Guru Gobind Singh) Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh! Courtesy of :The Sikhs: Past and Present, 1994 Vol 4, No.2.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 23, 1994
