Manochahal was responsible for over 1,000 killings by the time of his death.[3]
Early life
Gurbachan Singh was born on 6 June 1954 in a Chahal Jat Sikh family of village Manochahal, Tarn Taran district in the Indian state of Punjab to S. Atma Singh and Gurmej Kaur. He served in the Indian Army during his youth.
Manochahal was shot in the arm during the 1978 Sikh–Nirankari clashes. After this incident, he had maintained a relationship with Damdami Taksal and became acquainted with other members of the organization, such as Amrik Singh and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.[4] He soon became a close aid and associate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.[5]
Insurgency
Manochahal led a resolution at the 1986 Sarbat Khalsa to declare the resolve of a separate Sikh homeland and also formed a Panthic committee which would lead Sikhs per this resolution.[6]
He was appointed Jathedar of Akal Takht in April 1986 and resigned from the post in January 1987 in the “larger interest of the panth”.[7]
In the early days of the insurgency Manochahal lived in a hideout in the swamps of the Mand areas. He created many huts there and a Gurdwara. It is said that even if Manochahal was in battle he would complete his daily prayers. On top of the standard Sikh daily prayers he did two hours of meditation on Waheguru and 5 Sukhmani Sahibs.[8]
Police and CRPF had once surrounded the hut where Manochahal was staying. It is said they kept their distance out of fear. Manochahal told police he needed a flashlight to open the lock of the door. Police slid a flashlight under the crack of the door. Manochahal opened the door and went charging out with his brother both holding assault rifles. The officers retreated after suffering heavy casualties.[9]
In 1987 Manochahal was removed from the Panthic Committee. He would later rejoin and be removed in May 1989. The reason was claimed to be for alleged looting, extortion, killing of innocents, and misuse of funds by him.[10] Although the real reason was internal differences. Manochahal wanted 1 person to led instead of a 5 person Panthic Committee.[11]
On June 14, 1987, BTFK claimed responsibility for the killing of 12 and injuring 20 in Delhi in a shooting. BTFK said, “'Killings squads have reached (New) Delhi and they will take revenge for the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots.”[12] Surjit Singh Penta carried out the killings.[13][14]
On July 30, 1987, BTKF claimed responsibility for an attack on Hans Raj Sethi, a BJP representative on the New Delhi City Council. He was shot dead with 6 bullets. He was considered a “father figure” for the BJP and RSS in Delhi. They next walked up to Sudarshan Munjal, a BJP member, in his driveway and killed him. Surjit Singh Penta carried out the killings.[13][14]
On June 23, 1988, Manochahal was appointed as official Jathedar of Akal Takht. He will hold the position until February 5, 1993.[15][16][17]
On the morning of June 25, 1989 KLF and BTFK members attacked Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members at their meeting at Nehru Park in Moga. 21 RSS members were killed with a police officer, a paramilitary home guard and a couple dying of a bomb blast after the shooting leaving a total of 25 dead and 31-35 injured. It has since been renamed to Shahidi Park meaning Martyr Park. According to police Sikhs opened fire with automatic weapons from a van killing 21 and injuring many. According to survivors bullets were sprayed on everyone. They then left the scene. Soon after a powerful bomb blast occurred which killed 4, injured more, and caused damage. A second bomb also blew up after, but it caused no damage or injuries. A curfew was announced immediately following the incident.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]
On March 2, 1990, KCF faction chief Gurjant Singh Rajasthani and BTFK chief Gurbachan Singh Manochahal claimed responsibility for killing Amritsar Jail Superintendent Pyara Lal. They claimed he tortured Sikhs in prison.[26]
In 1992, a separate Panthic committee headed by Dr. Sohan Singh was forme. It called for the boycott of the 1992 Punjab Legislative Assembly election. Manochahal argued they should contest in the election. He argued that it was the only time to get Khalistan and it was now or never .His demands for an election led others calling him a government puppet. He decided not to contest after Sikh leaders kept calling for a boycott. The formation of this committee undermined the influence of Manochahal who was criticized for his support for political participation and led to a divide between the armed groups within Punjab.[28] Elections resulted in a Congress Government under Beant Singh of the Congress Party. The formation of this committee undermined the influence of Manochahal who was criticized for his support for political participation and led to a divide between the armed groups within Punjab.
To make Manochahal surrender himself police illegal detained many of his family members. Manochahal refused to surrender which led the detention, torture, and death of his family members.[4]
Per Maloy Krishna Dhar, a former Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau, India, he was given the task to negotiate with Gurbachan Singh Manochahal. He contacted Manochahal through a journalist source, was blindfolded and taken a few hundred kilometres from Amritsar to meet with him where he secretly held negotiations for three hours before he was blindfolded again and transported back.[29]
Manochahal carried a bounty of ₹30 lakh on his head.
He was killed in a fierce police encounter on 1 March 1993 by Punjab Police. Manochahal escaped from the police's dragnet on 27 February in Bagrian village before the police cornered him in the nearby Rataul village the following day.
The encounter began at 3:45 PM when DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) Dlibagh Singh and his men were fired upon by Manochahal and others. Dlibagh requested immediate assistance. Soon 2 quick reaction teams led by 2 different Majors and the Commanding officer of the Rashtriya Rifles, Colonel H.C Sah, arrived. So did many other senior officers. In 30 minutes over 225 army and police personnel began to cordon the area.[5] After defending himself for an hour with a machine gun, he was killed. The chief of the Punjab Police, Kanwar Pal Singh Gill later proclaimed, "Now I can say that we have finished militancy in Punjab."[31][32] Manochahal killed 12 officers including DIG (Deputy inspector general) Ajit Singh.[33]
Manochahal was responsible for over 1,000 killings by the time of his death.[3]
Views
Manochahal had strong views on many issues. When asked about the size of the Sikh state he fights for Manochahal answered with, “Due to the foolishness of our leaders, the area over which the Sikhs once ruled has been allowed to shrink… What we do have in mind is the rule of Khalsa over the Delhi Takht because our war is against the Brahmin-Bania combine, which will not budge an inch without a struggle. We shall fight to the end.”[34]
When asked about whether he was willing to negotiate for something less than Khalistan Manochahal answered with, “Nothing short of Khalsa raj will be acceptable now. We shall negotiate only if Khalistan is on the agenda.”[34]
When asked what will happen to Sikhs outside lf Punjab and Hindus in Punjab Manochahal answered with, “Sikhs outside Punjab have been oblivious of our problems. Now I suggest that they set up a base in Punjab. It will be pragmatic, for some day they will have to shift here. We are not keen to expel or drive out Hindus from Punjab but they will have to reconcile to the existence of Khalistan.”[34]
Manochahal also pledged to die and not be arrested. Saying, “There is no going back now. My promise to the Waheguru is that I shall never be caught alive."[5]
Bibliography
Van Dyke, Virginia (2009), "The Khalistan Movement in Punjab, India, and the Post-Militancy Era: Structural Change and New Political Compulsions", Asian Survey, 49 (6): 975–997, doi:10.1525/as.2009.49.6.975
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Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley (1996). Fighting for Faith and Nation. Series in Contemporary Ethnography. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 159ff. ISBN9780812215922.
