Homage paid to 2 victims of Behbal Kalan police firing

Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service
Bargari (Faridkot), October 14

Thousands of Sikhs on Sunday converged on ground zero of Punjab politics — Bargari in Faridkot district — to pay homage to the two victims of the Behbal Kalan police firing on their third death anniversary. 

  The  plethora of political leaders at the “Mahaan Shaheedi Samagam” demanded that those indicted by the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission, which probed the 2015 sacrilege cases, be punished, evoking a thunderous response from the crowds.

People from Bargari and nearby villages were seen serving water and langar. Some used hand fans to bring relief to the people from the afternoon heat. Many from far-off places came with langar and milk.

Stalls selling Khalistan propaganda material — flags, T-shirts and posters of  Bhindranwale — drew a sizeable crowd. Radical leaders Baljit Singh Daduwal and Dhian Singh Mand repeatedly urged the leaders of various parties not to use the stage to further their political agenda. They, however, were unable to restrain rebel AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann. 

Khaira said they would not rest until all those behind sacrilege incidents were punished. He demanded that elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee be held forthwith so that it could be freed from the “control of a few”.  Amidst pro-Khalistan flags and slogans, Mann spoke of the “discrimination suffered by the Sikhs since Independence”. He announced that the death anniversary of militants Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Harjinder Singh  Jinda would be observed at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib in Delhi later this month. The duo were sent to the gallows in October 1992 in the Gen Vaidya assassination case. 

Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Apna Punjab Party (APP) convener, claimed that despite requests from his Cabinet ministers, CM Capt Amarinder Singh had rejected their demand “for justice” in the sacrilege and firing incidents. Leader of the Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema asked: “When the Ranjit Singh Commission has indicted former CM Parkash Singh Badal for the police action on protesters, why then is the Congress government trying to shield him?” 

Among others at the samagam were Jagmeet Singh Brar, MLAs Kultar Singh Sandhawan, Baldev Singh and Simranjit Singh Bains, Bhagwant Mann, Sangrur MP, and former Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh. Congress ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and party MLAs attended the bhog ceremony of the 2015 police firing victims, Krishan Bhagwan Singh and Gurjit Singh Sarawan, at their native villages. So did AAP MLAs, including the rebels.

Tribune photo and video credit: Manoj Mahajan