Forming of the Jathebandi

The Shaheedi of Bhai Amerjit Singh Daheru led the Indian Security Services to realise that many of the actions against the Nakli Nirankaries, had not been done by Sant Jarnail Singh, as they had widely began to demonise him in the national press. Instead they had been done by a small group of organised underground youth from the Akhand Kirtani Jatha. Therefore they began rounding up Sikhs at Akhand Kirtani Jatha smagams.

Bhai Sukhdev Singh greatly felt this. He did not want elderly highly spiritual Sikhs to be harassed in police cells. They went to smagams for Gurbani Rass, and they should not be treated wrongly.

At this time, Bhai Sahib read a book by Giani Tarlok Singh. It was called “Babbar de Vithaya, Golee Chalde Rahe”, (Legend of the Babbar – keep the bullets firing). It was a novel about Babbar Akali movement against the British Raj in India. It had stories about the Great Sikh, Shaheed Bhai Kishan Singh Babbar and his companions. During the Indian Independence movement, they fought against the British Raj, their cruel officers, their touts, spies, Jagirdars, etc, in a guerrilla campaign with amazing feats. Bhai Sukhdev Singh saw this as a model which could be used
effectively to organise modern youth.
In 1981, a meeting of active Sikh youth warriors was called. It was announced that the Sikh Youth fighting the Nirankaries was not the Akhand Kirtani Jatha. This was to ensure harassment of elders stopped. Instead this was a new separate organisation called “Babbar Khalsa”.

The Babbar Khalsa was a gupt underground organisation. The Singhs in India felt the Jathedar needs to be active on a front-line level. Someone who knows the workings of India and could affect things on the front-line, and inspire the youth to be better Gursikhs.

There was no-one more front-line than Bhai Sukhdev Singh. It was unanimously decided by the youth that the Jathedar would be Bhai Sukhdev Singh. Other deputy Jathedars were also chosen. They were Bhai Anokh Singh, Bhai Sulakhan Singh, and Bhai Wadhawa Singh.

Every member of this Jathebandie must be Amritdhari, and strict in Amrit vela and Sikh code of conduct. They must be knowledge and practicing in Gurbani recitation. They must have memorised all the Nitnem, to ensure it is not missed, even in the heart of battle. They must be regular in Sangatee Seva, like cleaning shoes, so they always remain humble. Anyone who tries to destroy the Sikh religion or Nation would be opposed and eliminated by Babbars. To ensure they are capable of doing this seva, they must be abyassi, humble and always lead a Pure Gurmat lifestyle. Communications by Babbar khalsa would be via a magazine called “Vangaar”, which would have their missions documented and current news.

False Encounters Begin

When Babbar Khalsa became announced, its enemies in the form of Indian Security Services, Right-wing Hindus and the Nakli Nirankaries, now had a visible enemy to track down. No longer was it a case of a handful of Sikh youth among thousands, but specifically hunting Babbars, as well as the Gursikhs with Sant Jarnail Singh ji.
A key Babbar Khalsa activist who was very active in the universities of Punjab was Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke. He was a very strict Sarbloh Bebeki Singh, a fearless fighter, and someone who did a lot of “Parchaar” to take young Punjabis away from intoxicants, and make them Khalsas.

After a successful action against anti-Panthik forces, the trail followed by Police led to his arrest. He was severely tortured by the Security Services desperate for information on Babbar Khalsa. Bhai Kulwant Singh revealed nothing, and became the first Sikh youth to be Shaheed in police cells from torture. The dawn of the false encounter had arrived.

Sant Jarnail Singh ji had by now become a pivitol figure in India. The murder of Bhai Kulwant Singh Nagoke, and many other injustices, false cases against Sikhs, rape of Sikh girls, etc, led him to now openly speak on stages against the Indira Gandhi Government. His Dharam Yudh Morcha had gained a lot of momentum, and he was inspiring youth throughout Punjab to take Amrit. However his speeches documenting human rights abuses against Sikhs were by now seen to be shaking the foundations at Delhi.

By now, the Babbar Khalsa had hatched a successful plan to assassinate “Gurbachana”. A young Sikh carpenter called Ranjit Singh gained a job in his house in Delhi doing general building work. At the most opportune time, Bhai Ranjit Singh with some associates killed “Gurbachana” as he got out of his car, which had returned home from a rally. They then escaped by jumping a very high wall, when hunted by Police. Bhai Ranjit Singh was later arrested and sentenced to long term imprisonment, then released as the Jathedar of Akal Thakht Sahib.


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………