Singhs at Crossroads

Bhai Fauja Singh' Bravery

Bhai Amolak Singh Jee narrates a story about Bhai Fauja Singh Jee.

In a small town there was a famous person. He was bad, he was like a bandit. Not totally a Bandit more like a gangster. He never had a gang but was normally by himself. That fellow was famous for being nasty, he used to beat up who he wanted and took from any shop he wanted without paying. No one would say anything as most people were terrified of him.

One day one of Bhai Sahib Singhs had gone to that town on business. The Singh went to another Singh's shop and this gangster also entered the same shop. The Gangster started to abuse a woman in the shop with bad language and also without provocation. This Singh got entangled and said to the Gangster why are you swearing at this Bhen (Sister). The gangster said to the Singh you don't talk to me like that and that's when the fighting started. However this Gangster was famous and the shopkeepers stopped the fighting. The gangster knew that this Singh came from outside the Town and followed him out; he started to abuse him and started to hit him.

He said go and tell your Boss that I am going to stop you Singh's from coming this way and using this road. The Singh was badly assaulted and abused. He told Bhai Fauja Singh about the incident and that this gangster abused Sikhi and said that he warned us not to use this way. Bhai Fauja Singh went the next day with a group of Singhs to see this gangster. In the back of Bhai fauja Singh's mind was that the gangster was a daring man and if he could persuade him, he could become a good Gursikh.

Bhai Fauja Singh went to the market and someone said that the gangster was coming. The gangster came up to Bhai Fauja Singh, and Bhai fauja Singh said to him ‘Why did you hit my Singh?' the Gangster Said laughingly ‘ I didn't hit him, I showed him some love and if you want I will show YOU what is hitting'.

Bhai Sahib said to him ‘Are you not afraid of all those Singhs standing there'. He Replied ‘You lot are nothing in front of me.' We found out later that this Gangster had killed people before and also Singhs.

They then started to fighting; However Bhai Sahib had his Shasters with him. Bhai Shahib hit him with his Shaster and killed him. The gangster could not be allowed to live. Bhai Sahib was sent to Jail, but later released as everyone knew how bad and evil this other guy was, he did so many wrong things in the town and the police testified later onbehlf of Bhai Sahib and then he was released.

What about the funeral?

There were thousands at the funeral, all our Singh's were there. I didn't go to the funeral but I went to the ashes ceremony. Because at the funeral time we were at the hospital in bed. There were no nirankaris to be found anywhere, even the shops owned by them took there boards down. They were hiding and didn't dare to come out.

*Sevadaars Note - The two photos above concern the funeral ceremony. The first one shows Shaheed Baba Jarnail Singh Jee and the second show Bhai Sahib Baoo Mal Singh Jee (Bhai Sahib was as much a figure head in the Jatha as Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Jee and was the Jathedaar of the Panj Pyare at Amrit Sanchars and also led the Jatha when Bhai Sahib was in Jail).

How did the Nirankaris Baba die?

Bhai Ranjeet Singh killed him, Bhai Ranjeet Singh who became the Akal Thahkt Jathedar after he was released from prison, Bhai Sahib was already in the Nirankari camp, when Gurbachana came back from somewhere. He shot him after he got out of his car, he killed him and his bodyguards.

*Sevadaars note - This is what the Nirankari sect says about their new leader after Gurbachana was killed 'On April 24, 1980, the Satguru stood transformed from Baba Gurbachan Singh into Baba Hardev Singh Maharaj, which manifested itself to the world formally three days later'.

END OF LECTURE

*Sevadaars Note - This is the words from Bhai Ranjeet Singh when interviewed by the 'Frontline Magazine (India)' regarding the 1978 Vaasakhi Sakhaa and also the assassination of Gurbachanaa'

'The law demands a proper trial based on evidence. There was no evidence against me. The judge's hands were trembling as in winter when he wrote the order convicting me. Look at the Nirankaris who killed 13 of our Sikhs in the Baisakhi massacre that I avenged. There should have at least been a case against the killers in the courts in Amritsar, where the killings took place. But they were tried in Karnal, and all 63 persons were acquitted. In my case, they said that since the murder took place in Delhi, I should be tried there. Is that justice?

In retrospect, do you have any regrets about shooting Gurbachan Singh? Can the feud with the Nirankaris now be laid to rest, in the interests of peace?

Certainly not. I have no regrets, neither in the past nor now. What I did was the will of God. The Nirankaris can only be forgiven if they disband their sect and appeal to the Akal Takht for forgiveness.

But why? Isn't this an issue of minority religious rights?

No religion has its basis in the defamation of other religions. The Nirankaris dishonour the Gurbani, which they call the Santbani. Sikhs can tolerate any insult but this. And this is what every Nirankari religious text does.'

Bhai Ranjeet Singh was part of an operation by the Singhs who were very closely associated with Bhai Fauja Singh Jee but were not at Amritsar at the time to go with him.

Shaheed Jathedar Bhai Sukhdev Singh Jee Babbar also avenged what happened in 1978 by eliminating the most prominent Nirankaris who still preached vile filth against Sikhi. Bhai Sahib at the time of the Massacre was having his Anand Karaj, he resolved that after Bhai Fauja Singh Jee became shaheed that he would not rest until there was redress for all the injustices that were happening to Sikhs in India. Jathedhar Bhai Sahib Sukhdev Singh continued the struggle for 14 years until he attained martydom in 1992. There should be no doubt that Bhai Fauja Singh Jee motivated a huge amount of Sikh Youth who were involved in the Khalistan movement in the 80's and 90's.

*Sevadaar Note

From putting together this article and researching the events which took place in 1978 we believe that we are not worthy enough to comment on the above articles. The way Bhai Amolak Singh Jee describes events is enough for the sangat. All we can say is that Bhai Fauja Singh Jee was a unique personality in the Panth and his Shaheedee and that of the other Mahan Gurmukhs should inspire the youth to try and be more like them. One point we would like to make is that Shaheed Baba Jarnail Singh Jee and Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh Jee being two of the greatest 21st century Gursikhs also lived and treated each other as Brothers, Sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Jee, we should try and do the same.

Below is a Picture of Shaheed Baba Jarnail Singh Jee paying his respects to the Shaheed Roop of Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh Jee.

For Further Reading, see below links :

http://www.akj.org.uk/literature/article.asp?sec=Gurmat

http://www.tapoban.org/1978%20Vaisakhi%20Massacre.pdf

http://www.tapoban.org/1978shaaheed.htm

http://www.mrsikhnet.com/BhaiFaujaSingh/

What were your feelings when you saw the Nirankaris opposing the Gurus?

Actually son, when u go for something, because we were altogether, when we went to protest, we were told when we started not to be aggressive, or do any action which will start any fighting. We were only to go there to protest and that was it. But if they are attacking you then you go for it. That was the discussion when we started from the Darabar Sahib.

So we know, we were prepared just in case, only 5 Singhs had kirpans and 2 singhs that was me and Bhai fauja singh had shields. The rest had no weapons. We knew what was going to happen as police stopped us and told us not to go any further. The police said that they will go there and chase them out. But rather than doing what they said they were going to do, they went and told them that the Sikhs were coming and get prepared.

So they took about 30-35 minutes to get prepared in an attacking force. We never knew what was happening. Some of our Singhs saw from the top of a building what they were doing and that's when the fighting broke out. So once the fighting broke, we couldn't stay behind. Once we saw that the Singhs were fighting then Bhai Fauja Singh Jee said to the policeman 'What is the point in talking to you'. Then we went and started fighting, we were never scared or afraid. We never thought what is going to happen, we went to fight.

Did Bhai Fauja Singh Jee give to the needy?

He was always giving his earnings where ever he could, to the needy. In a week, he used to work for 5 days and on Saturday and Sunday he used to go around places and in the countryside and do Smagams and devout his time there, If the local Gurdwara or people needed money he used to donate from his own pocket and we used to help him. He never used to keep money in the bank. If anyone needed the money he would always give it.

*Sevadaars Note - Guru Jee's Hukam is for every Sikh of his to give 10% of his income to Dasvand, mostly for Parchar and worthwhile causes. Bhai Sahib Jee used to LIVE on 10% of his income and give 90% to Dasvand. In the west and even in India it is even hard to give 10% these days. Please remember the Jeevan of Bhai Sahib and give your 10% without even considering it as yours.

What was your age when you met Sant Bhindrawala?

My age was 26

Are Nirankaris still there?

Yes Nirankaris are still there, the government protected them. Earlier on they used to speak openly against Sikhs but now they don't.

In 1978 who was the Nirankaris baba?

Gurbhajan Singh

During the attack, did any of the Singh's try to kill  Gurbhajan?

Because we were only a few left, the rest scattered as they had no weapons, the oppositions had guns, bows and arrows, acid bottles, most ran away and only a few were left. The leader was taken away by the Government, if the Government was serious he wouldn't have got out of Punjab.

The final part of the lecture will be posted soon, it will have a story which Bhai Amolak Singh narrated regarding Bhai Fauja Singh Jee's Bravery and concluding comments by the sevadaars.

The Questions were very Random and on different types of subjects, The sevadaars decided to keep the Q&A's in the same sequence as they were asked.

Were you there, when 1984 attack happened and if not where were you?

I wasn't there; I was on a flight to the west side of India. I was in the Indian Air force. The 1^st of June was when it first happened, my wife and son was there. The first attack in 1984, it was a trial, and the army wasn't there.

The paramilitary police were there when they attacked Amritsar. Our Singh's fought too; it was for 5, 6 hours fighting. The police went back; they just wanted to see how much ammunition there was and where the people were situated and where they were hiding.

Do you know how the Indian government attacked the golden temple?

It was a cowardly act by the government because our Singh's were in the Golden Temple. They started dropping down commandos and our Singh's started fighting them. They lost so many commandos' so then they brought in the army.

Our Sikhs started firing, they brought tanks inside. The Sikhs couldn't do anything and they destroyed the Akal Takht and the surrounding buildings.

What was it like when you saw Bhai Fauja Singh and you were standing next to Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala?

I was still very weak, still injured badly. After the cremation we collected the ashes and bones. I was very weak so fell down there and Sant Jarnail Singh Bhrindrawala Jee supported me so that I could take the ashes to the River.

What did your family think?

In 1978 it was a Vasaakhi programme. A Kirtan programme which my family knew we were going there but no one thought of shahedee.

Has Bhai Fauja Singh Ji got any family?

He has got a wife but no children. We are the children. Bhai Hazoora Singh is his son as he lived near him, he became his son.

* Bhai Hazoora Singh Jee is the Head Granthi at Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Cross Roads. Other Singhs have also verified that Bhai Sahib used to be treated like a son by Bhai Fauja Singh Jee. Sevadaars will try and get Bhai Sahib to speak about his experiences with Bhai Fauja Singh and post them for the benefit of the Sangat.

What do you think about the Sikh situation in India?

You know the history of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. He was the King of Punjab. He was the only King we had. When we lost the last battle, the Sikhs were betrayed. Since we lost that battle and we became the slaves we have been struggling.

What ways did Bhai Fauja Singh Jee do seva?

Bhai Fauja Singh was an ideal man. He was actually a milestone for us. When he was in the sangat, when keeratan was happening he would be in the langar doing seva. I remember there was one programme in the top pf the mountain/hill; There was no water facility there so Bhai Fauja Singh ALL DAY LONG he carried water from the bottom to the top.

On the Seva side he was on the top, we used to learn from him how to do seva. He never used to sleep when doing seva, he used to never rest. The other Gursikhs who used to the Langar seva used to say to him ‘Bhai Sahib Jee take a rest or take Parshaada (Langar), he would eat his Parshaada and then he was off again doing Seva. Nobody could think that he was a strong soldier doing this type of seva. He would grab a brush and start cleaning if he saw dirt.

I remember a incident when we went to a Gurdwara and he saw someone do toilet in a area used for Showering, he just went over after the person had finished and picked it up with his own hands. We all said ‘Bhai Sahib Jee, what are you doing?' But he didn't care and said that this is Guru Jee's place and always should be clean. We must remember he was always ready for any type of Seva. If he found something to be done, HE WOULD DO IT!!!, he was an ideal man.

*Sevadaars Note - In India in those days there were no toilet facilities at Smagams in the countryside and a designated area in the nearby fields used to be used for this facility. Bhai Sahib used to take a group of youngs Singhs and go and clean the area after the Smagam was completed. We need to appreciate the state of mind of Bhai Sahib was in to do soo much Seva. We should try to do more seva and use Bhai Sahib as a Inspiration for us. 

This is a continuation from yesterday's Post on the Lecture and Q & A session with Bhai Amolak Singh Jee. Please be aware some of the questions were asked by young children. 

Why was the government nasty?

You won't understand, it is politics. When human beings are born, then you come with politics. Government comes with politics. For example if I get four people thinking against me, then I should get them away and I would make them separate. That's why the government didn't want Sikhs to join together. If we all today join together, we can rule the world but it won't happen because it's all to do with politics.

Why did you get shot?

The other group was well organised, well trained. The government was allowed to keep their own army; they had different weapons and uniform.

Our Singh's just came back from kirtan and we had no weapons, we just went to protest. They started fighting. They had bow and arrows, stones and acid bottles, one by one they started, they were standing in a row shoulder to shoulder.

Our Singh's had no weapons, no kirpans, no bamboo sticks. It was myself, Bhai Sahib Fauja Singh, Bhai Kewal Singh, Baba Ji and Bhai Ranbir Singh, (Pictured above) we all had kirpans. The army was hitting us with bamboo sticks but we defended ourselves because we knew gatka. They couldn't do anything.

So another group came and they were throwing stones. We were protecting only our faces, and then they threw acid which could burn your body, clothes. For about 5 - 6 minutes they threw all this, then there stuff was finishing.

After this started firing with guns. My friends fell down. In this process I got shot on the face and chest and I fell down. I have still 54 pellets on my body and 12 pellets on my face.

Do the injuries affect you now?

I had small ones, not big ones so it doesn't affect me, loads of iron in my body. ( Bhai Sahib is pictured in the Hostpital with the American Sikhs)

What were your last words, when you were shot?

There was no time to talk and we were concentrating on what was happening. It was no good time to talk. I heard Bhai Fauja Singh talking, our own Sikhs started running away. Bhai Fauja Singh said 'COWARDS!!! this is no time to run. We should join together!!'

He was my master. Bhai Fauja Singh said that you should do paat inside. If you have bani inside or naam inside you body, you don't feel depression, you feel chardikala, like I was. That is the time when your life comes in front of you.

How old were you?

I was 27 years old and Bhai Fauja Singh was 42 years old

How did you feel when you got shot?

When you get hit, you can't think of anything. Your mind, body is prepared. When we went there, we knew what was going to happen. We are happy because we are fighting for our panth and we are fighting the evil people who are against our guru.

We love our Guru Granth Sahib Jee, so if anyone says anything against it, we can not tolerate it.

When we went there, our mind was aware of what was going to happen, so when I got shot, I didn't cry or have pain. Someone was dragging me 100 yards and when I became conscious I said why did you do that, why have you brought me here, why are people running. That's what I was asking. So you do know what is happening when you get shot.

Were you ready to die?

Yes I was ready to die

He was a great man; he was a man of his Word. What ever he said he would do.

He was so brave inside, you wouldn't be able scare him physically and mentally.

As a Gursikh he was so great inside, he used to meditate, all night, never get tired, when he did exercise, he would do exercise, when he would do paat, he would do paat, when he does simran, he would do simran. He had so much will power. When I met him for the first time he was like a magnet, I would get pulled towards him.

Have you heard about the Great Great Great Gursikhs, Harri Singh Nuluwa, Banda Singh Bahabur, Baba Deep Singh; they all fought for our religion and were great Gursikhs. You feel good inside because you hear about these Gursikhs

This is the same way I feal when I met Bhai Fauja Singh Jee, Bhai Sahib was a Great Man and was a Great Jathedar. He had great stories in his life, when we hear these stories we get great boosting power.

Due to the AKJ UK Annual Smagam concluding this weekend. The remaining parts of the above Lecture and Q & A session will be posted next week. In the Future posts Bhai Sahib talks about the bravery of Bhai Fauja Singh Jee when he confronts a 'Gangster' and the way Bhai Fauja Singh Jee used to do Seva, which should be a Eye-opener for all of us.

As we promised we have an exclusive article in the remembrance of the Mahan Shaheeds of the 1978 Vasaakhi Sahka.

Around the Annual AKJ Smagam in 2004, the Youth Sevadaars at Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Coventry arranged a mini camp, as it was the 26^th anniversary of the Vasaakhi 1978 Sakha.

During the Camp we were blessed that Bhai Amolak Singh Jee (Australia) came to give a talk in English to the 100-150 attendees of the camp. We at Sevatothemax believe that as the Talk was around 2 hours long and videoed, that we should share with Sangat the Veechar which happened that day. We are unable to put the actual Video up due to the very poor quality of the sound. However we will include Pics of the talk in the Article. We would like to thank the Sevadaar who completed this seva on behalf of the website.

The young audience asked Bhai Sahib all the questions. Sevadaars will try and keep to the original answers as much as possible. Comments will also be included.

What happened to the families of the Shaheeds after 1978?

The Families are all grown up now, children are all married. It's been 26 years now, and they have been looked after Panth and our Singhs.

Why are you still alive?

I was crying at that time and I was wondering why I haven't gone.

Me and the Singh's we used to do kirtan together, we used to talk to each other and get together.

They were my masters, my gurus. Bhai Amolak Singh Ji learnt Gatka from Bhai Fauja Singh and from Bhai Kewal Singh.(Bhai Kewal Singh Jee can be seen in the above picture standing to the right, Bhai Amolak Singh Jee is on the left)

I was unconscious when they all died, I was told in hospital. I wanted to die and go with them. No-one wants to die but I wanted to because it was a good time to go. Its like, if you go to any yatra, or gurdwara and your friends are with you, you would tell your mum that you want to go.

**Sevadaar Note - This show's the love that existed between the Gursikhs. The Sangat they did under the guidance of Bhai Fauja Singh must have been something special. If we look at ourselves is our Sangat like this?**

Who were the Nirankaris?

Before 1978 there was narthari they were all false, they had all non sense stuff inside them. The government was behind them, they didn't do anything. They came to Amritsar and the akali government was with them, they didn't stop them.

**SEVADAAR's Note - Below is a little summary about the Sant Nirankaris, we think it is important to inform the sangat of their History and Evil Parchar. THE BELOW INFORMATION IS NOT PART OF THE LECTURE****

Neo (Sant) Nirankaris:

Although real force behind the stupendous establishment of Delhi Nirankari Darbar, the Neo-Nirankaris, was Baba Avtar Singh, its real founder was Shri Buta

Singh. Baba Buta Singh was born in 1883 in Campbellpur District in West Punjab. After serving in army for about 9 years, he ran a photographer's business in Rawalpindi for 12 years. In 1924 he took a legitimate contract of opium and started a shop there. A year later he went to Murree Hills Cantonment and started the work of tattooing.

Baba Buta Singh was endowed with musical trait. Impressed by his singing talent, Kahan Singh, a granthi at Nirankari Darbar had introduced him there. His `melodious voice' captured the audience and he became very popular. Unfortunately, he developed a habit of drinking. A few times he was reprimanded for coming to the Gurdwara and singing under the influence of alcohol. Ultimately he was expelled from the Darbar and banned ever to come back. Kahan Singh, who was his drinking partner, took him on his shoulders, went round the streets of Rawalpindi and pronounced him as the Guru of Nirankaris. As he did not have much success there, Baba Buta Singh moved to Peshawar. There he met Shri Avtar Singh who ran a bakery business.

In 1943, Baba Buta Singh nominated Baba Avtar Singh as his successor. Baba Avtar Singh took over the rein and declared himself as the Nirankar incarnate. In his book, Yug Pursh he wrote, "Towards the end of 1900 when the people of the world had forgotten the teachings of their avatars and prophets, and tyranny and un-righteous conduct prevailed all-around, Nirankar decided to send another great soul to the world to retrieve people from the wrong path. He convened a meeting of Rama, Krishna, Mohammed, Jesus Christ and Nanak and apprised them of the situation, but all of them expressed their inability to undertake the Mission on account of the bad treatment meted out to them previously by the people. I too was latently present in the meeting and was listening to the whole talk. At last after persuasion by other prophets, God asked me to go to the world to re-instate righteousness. I bowed my head and expressed my willingness to carry out God's behest, subject to the condition to which God agreed, that if any sinner of the world showed respect to my Sant Brahm Giani, that is to me, even by mistake, then he will attain salvation."

In 1947 Baba Avtar Singh moved to Delhi and `set up the Sant Nirankari Mandal as a registered body in 1948 with an executive of seven members. He issued special scripture under the title Avtar Bani and laid down the following five fundamentals of the sect:

`(1) All our possessions are a divine loan which we must utilise only as trustees and not as masters.

`(2) No discrimination on caste, creed, colour, religion in our worldly status.

`(3) No criticism of any one's diet, dress or living.

`(4) No renunciation of the world.

`(5) No divulgence of Gian except with permission of the True Master (i.e. Nirankari Baba himself).'

Contemplating on Baba Avtar Singh's declaration of self-incarnation, and his fundamentals, there could have been no quarrel with the Sikhs. A number of other sects with their own theories of incarnation and fundamentals, such as Naanmdharis, Nirmalas, Radha Swamis, Ram Raias, Nanak Sarias, etc. have been flourishing in Punjab and all over the world, for decades. They had no physical or ideological qualms with Sikhs. Thousands of practising Sikhs have been attending both the Gurdwaras and the centres of such sects simultaneously. Then what did cause so much tension between the Neo-Nirankaris and Sikhs?

The preaching of Nirankari faith through the `vocabulary and symbolism' of Sikh religion caused the resentment among the Sikh masses. The Panj Pyaras of Guru Gobind Singh were imitated as seven stars of Nirankaris. `Names of venerable Sikh personages from history were assigned to the members of the Nirankari leader's family and followers. Among them may be mentioned Mata Sulakhni (Guru Nanak's wife), Bibi Nanki (Guru Nanak's sister), Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Gurdas Singh, both highly regarded in Sikh piety.' The Sikh terms, Sangat, Satguru, and Sachapadsha were peculiarly used. Most of all `inspired utterances of the Sikh Gurus, were frequently quoted, but with slant. The scriptures were quoted and expounded openly to suit the Nirankari bias.'

Baba Gurbachan Singh's, recorded and published, articulations, such as the following, further inflamed the situation;

*Kar-sewa at Harimandir is Bekaar-sewa.

*Sarovers of Gurdwaras are pools which serve no purpose, these better be filled up.

*Guru Gobind Singh was either fighting battles or hunting, he knew nothing about meditation.

*The Nirankaris summing up their supplication by repeating `jo tudh bhave sai bhali kar, toon sadha salamat NIRANKAR'.

*How can any sensible person call the writings in this bulky miscellany (Guru Granth Sahib) as Divine Revelation?

The ideological strife was augmented by the open patronage and support extended by Mrs. Gandhi's regime. A prominent journalist, Sat Pal Baghi revealed in the India Express,"…. She (Mrs. Gandhi) wanted to weaken the Sharomani Akali Dal…. She thought an elaborate plan to strengthen the Nirankaris … throughout the country and abroad…." The Nirankaris were known to be getting financial help from Government funds, neither open to audit nor scrutiny by Parliament.

The bitterness took an ugly turn when a few followers of Keertni Jatha of Bhai Randhir Singh went to Nirankari Samagam at Amritsar to request him to desist from distortions of Sikh tenets. While the negotiations were going on, the Jatha were hit with the volleys of bullets. That culminated into the death of thirteen of the Sikhs. Ultimately the saga ended in the assassination of Baba Gurbachan Singh a few years later.

Part 2 - Tomorrow

Source : http://www.geocities.com/pritpal_bindra/s-022.html