The great martyrs who obliged Sikh nation by their martyrdom

Indira Gandhi had her Gangu-Brahmin ancestry confirmed by reference to family records maintained by Pandits at the Mattan Shrine in the Kashmir Valley and the confirmation firmed her resolve to carry on her war against the Sikhs. Not satisfied with the result of Operation Blue Star, she planned another nefarious operation, on a much larger scale, codenamed Operation Shanti. According to Dr. Sangat Singh, the assassination of Indira Gandhi on 31st October 1984 pre-empted Indira’s Operation Shanti all over India by a week        

By implementation this plan Indira could keep herself safe from Sikhs and defame them as anti national and clean her image in majority Hindus. Thus she could assure whole India that only she is a patriot and think of prosperity of nation but the Sikhs are traitors and then a large scale holocaust of Sikhs could be organized or the Sikhs would have been cornered by a social boycott appeal.  So this Operation Shanti was prepared which included a war against Pakistan. This plan was to be organized on birth day of founder of Sikh religion Guru Nanak Dev ji which was falling on 8th Nov. in 1984.  This plan was a top secret and had been shared with Chief of Army staff General AS Vaidya and some loyal administrative officers other than her loyal cabinet ministers. Though a high level secrecy was maintained to keep it top secret but it was leaked to some high ups in administration and they informed to their close friends to save their families.

 Indira drew a diabolical plan, named ‘Operation Shanti’, to carry out a general massacre of the Sikhs, of genocidal proportions, around November 8, when the Sikhs would assemble in various Gurdwaras for Guru Nanak’s birthday celebrations.

In October 1984, there was a massive deployment of army at the border and war with Pakistan looked imminent. There was a rumor that the Center had conceived a genocidal intention towards the Sikhs —– the plan was like this: large scale clashes would be raised all along the Punjab border with Pakistan; it would be publicized that the Sikhs had revolted and joined hands with the Pak forces, and then they would be slaughtered and bombed by the Indian army and subjected to loot and massacre all over India.

The Sikhs all over Punjab, especially in Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar districts were to be subjected to massive aerial bombardment, apart from being slaughtered by army and para military forces. The Sikhs all over India were to be subjected to mass scale massacre, loot, arson and incendiarism by lumpen elements organized by Youth Congress(I) activists. Elaborate preparations were made by Youth Congress (I) network all over India; they were to await a coded signal to start mayhem.

The plan was discussed with certain army generals who advised Indira against it. They pointed out that Nazis had used gas chambers to finish off the Jews, but had not been able to do so. And, her plan to finish off the Sikhs in one go would only club her name with that of Hitler. But she was unrelenting.

Historian Rajni kothari also revealed about this proposed massacre of Sikhs all over India.

Indira was not receptive. In view of her nefarious Sikh genocidal plan, she paid a sudden visit to Kashmir on October 27, when, however, she got the omen of her imminent death. Back in New Delhi, the following day, Nevertheless, one cannot lightly dismiss what P.C. Alexander, the principal secretary of Indira Gandhi, has written in ‘My Years with Indira Gandhi’. According to him,”she sent for Gen. Vaidya and asked him in my presence about the preparedness of the Indian army in J & K to meet any unexpected outbreak of trouble. General Vaidya assured her that the army was very well prepared for any eventuality and there was no danger of it being taken unaware by the Pakistanis.

After General Vaidya left, she asked me to remain in close contact with Vice-President Venktaraman and apprise him of her concern at the recent developments in Punjab and Kashmir. (Significantly the Sikh President was to be kept out). She said that it would be helpful to keep him fully informed of all the developments and get his views on them. I do not know what prompted her to give me these instructions at that time………”

Indira wanted to involve Vice President from that very stage, as he was to be the acting President once Operation Shanti was operative, and the inconvenient Zail Singh was bumped off.

How much substance was there in this rumor cannot be stated for sure, but as subsequent events have shown, there was certainly more to it than meets the eye. It is a pointed to the genocidal intention of a despot in a hurry

Significantly, Zia ul Haq stated at Indira’s funeral that it was with great difficulty that he had been able to avert a war with India. 

His then No. 2, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, after demitting the office of President of Pakistan in July 1993, stated that Indira had planned to attack Pakistan but was shot dead some ten days before the D-Day.

Sonia Gandhi—daughter in law of Indira Gandhi revealed before Vir Sanghvi, editor Hindustan times in an interview that she (Indira) used to give instruction to Rajiv (her son) to what to do and how to do after her sudden death. It’s not difficult to assume after the massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other parts of India why she chose a specific day to plan the killings of the innocent Sikhs both the times. Thanks to both the valiant martyrs who saved whole Sikh community from defamation by sacrifice of their own lives and saved thousands to be murdered brutally by Indira. Though they had to assassinate a brutal Prime Minister but in the interest of nation and the Sikh community from defamation—- the Sikh community shall always be obliged to both the martyrs Beant Singh and Satwant Singh.

Shaheed Satwant Singh belonged to NO specific jathebandee (Organization). Here is his statement in the Supreme court of India when he was awarded the death sentence. ” “Let any part of my body, after my Shaheedi, be removed and used by anyone who may benefit from it . However if you need my eyes, let the authorities tell my parents. I have no hatred for any Hindu, Muslim, Christian, neither hatred for any religion. After my Shaheedi, let no Sikh throw even any rock at any Hindu. I am not in favour of any retaliation or bloodshed over my Shaheedi. If we do create bloodshed, then there is no difference between us and Rajiv Gandhi. I am Proud of the task that I did . I do ardas in front of Waheguru that If I am blessed with a human life again , then give me a death of the Brave. Forget one life, if I could I would give up a thousand lives to kill dushts like Indira Gandhi, and laugh as I become Shaheed by hanging….” ]

THE LAST MEETING

His lawyer, Sardar Bhupinder Singh Sodhi was the last to meet Satwant Singh in Tihar jail. Sodhi said, “Beloved Satwant, I am so sorry I was unable to save you from the death sentence. Now this is the last time we will ever meet.” The lawyer said as he became emotional.

Sardar Satwant Singh replied, “Vakeel Sahib, you should be making me strong. We will meet again. Promise me you will fight my case next time as well!”

Bhupinder Singh Sodhi replied, “Pyare Satwant, I do not understand what you are saying? All your appeals have failed. Tomorrow morning, 6th January, at 6 am, both you and Kehar Singh will be hanged.”

Satwant Singh replied, “Vakeel sahib, whenever Waheguru gives me a human life, I will once again destroy the enemies of the Sikh Nation like Indira Gandhi. The again you will come and fight my case. Those who believe in truth and human rights, will always have to fight these brutal regimes. I will keep taking births! I will keep killing dushts! You will keep meeting me!”

Seeing Satwant Singh in such Chardi kala, lawyer Bhupinder Singh Sodhi says, “Pyare Satwant, Great are you, Great is your Sikhi, so blessed am I who was able to fight a case of a Lionheart, brave warrior such as you. Waheguru ji has blessed me just to have the darshan of you. Any nation that has warriors like you, Satwant Singh, brave, mard, soormais. That Nation can never be controlled, intimidated or suppressed.”

On 6th January 1989, it was raining. Nature was giving Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh a blessing, like one gives a garland around a neck. The thoughts of the whole Sikh Nation were with Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh. They had taken this most important task, and with it all this heartache had come on them and their families. Both were in Chardi kala as they walked towards the noose. It was like the blessings of the whole Sikh Nation were with them as they walked.

   

In the end, on 6th January 1989, early at 4 am, and the authorities walked them towards the noose, their voices could be heard from outside the jail, shouting, “Bole So Nihal ! Sat Siri Akaal !” Then a few moments silence……………As both of them stepped forward and kissed the hangmans noose, a very heavy rainfall started………

Just as the British had done with Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. Their bodies were taken to Ferozpur, and cremated on the banks of the Sutluj river. Similarly, the Indian Government did not hand over the bodies of Shaheed Satwant Singh and Shaheed Kehar Singh to their next of kin. Their bodies were cremated within Tihar jail. When the cruel authorities started cremating the bodies, the rain suddenly stopped. Nature was doing its bit to respect the Shaheeds. As the bodies burned, the authorities did not have the heart to hand them back to the families. The lawyer, Sardar Bhupinder Singh Sodhi said to the authorities, I can understand you have hatred for those spirits who killed Indira Gandhi, but how can you even have hatred for their corpses?

Then to further insult the Shaheeds, the authorities dreamed up another stunt. The last wish of both Shaheed Satwant Singh and Shaheed Kehar Singh was that their ashes be taken to Siri Kartarpur Sahib. However the Police forced the families of these two Shaheeds into jeeps and vans and drove them to Hardwar. Throughout the whole journey to Hardwar, it rained heavily. Then at gunpoint giving the families no choice, the final ardas for the Shaheeds was done. Just as the ardas began, the rain stopped. It was like nature was also paying respect to the Shaheeds. Bhai Satwant Singh`s father, Bapu Tarlok Singh, and the son of Bhai Kehar Singh, Sardar Rajinder Singh, poured the ashes in to the river at Hardwar.

The thoughts of the whole Sikh Nation are with Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh. The brutal Indian regime may have killed Bhai Satwant Singh and Bhai Kehar Singh, but in the hearts of all Sikhs, they will forever live. They are immortalised in paintings on the walls of Sikh Gurdwaras, and they have recorded their names in the Volumes of Sikh History. They were the modern day Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Mehtab Singh.