Terrorism against Specific Targets in the Police and the Administration of Punjab

As oppression against devout Sikhs escalated during 1982 and 1983, Sikhs from villages flocked to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale seeking redress. At first he felt that there were some unscrupulous police officials who were responsible for the spate of arbitrary arrests followed generally by brutal torture and often death in police custody. He sought redress from higher authorities in the administration and from courts. Senior police officials listened to him, assured him of fairness but took no action. Referring to the assurances given by the Inspector General of Police in the case of Harbhajan Singh and Harpreet Singh, Bhindranwale commented(6):

"Deviously, they keep telling the President on the phone that the boys have not committed any offense. If they are innocent then why are they kept there, for fun? How long are we going to suffer this oppression?"

The news media and the political leadership did not care to investigate his charges of police brutality. The administration, instead of punishing the guilty policemen, rewarded them with promotions. Jarnail Singh found that the courts were powerless in enforcing their decisions(7). Frustrated in his attempts to get the Government to inquire into incidents of police excesses and to punish the guilty officials, the courts to provide protection and the press and the public at large to call for an investigation and redress, he declared:

"Khalsa Ji, one gets justice out of inquiries when there is room for legal representation, argument, and appeal. Here [under the Indian Government] it is outright injustice. They have decided to annihilate the Sikhs, to insult their turban, and to destroy their Faith. Under this situation, why do you need to use a lawyer and appeal?"

He publicly identified (8) some of the most notorious culprits in the police force. In a speech on 18 May 1983, he explained:

"We have no personal enmity with anyone; we are not jealous of anybody. However, if someone tries to destroy our religion, we must be steadfast in securing our rights. … We fight those who strip our sisters naked, we fight those who dishonor our sisters, and we fight those who insult our Satguru Granth Sahib. This fight will go on and no power in the world can stop us until these things are stopped."

Some of these officials were eventually killed, possibly by surviving relatives of their victims. The Government and the news media immediately held the Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale responsible for "death of conscientious police officers" without any evidence that he was connected with these incidents in any direct manner. For example, he protested that he had nothing to do with Atwal's murder in April 1983. However, most writers continue to blame him for it. Later on, faced with continuing torture and brutality, Bhindranwale declared that he would shelter anyone who would punish the police officials guilty of torturing to death people they knew to be innocent. Many reports appearing in the news media have indicated that the few killings of police officers were selective and only the worst perpetrators of torture were killed.

Preparation of 'Hit-Lists' and Organizing Murder

The Indian Government claimed that Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale kept "hit lists of those who disagreed with him and organize their murder." There never was such a list though many journalists bought the official line and kept harping on it. Amarjit Kaur refers (9) to "the barbaric acts, duly sanctioned by the author of the 'hit-lists' living in the safety of Akal Takht." Bhindranwale responded to this propaganda (10):

"If, from this stage, I say something naming someone they say: 'Bhindranwala has given out the name of such person, now this name has come on the list.' This kind of gossip goes on."

Also (11):

"It is said that I have already made a list. I haven't made any so far but the way these people are forcing us, it is quite possible that the youth may have to start such a list. I have not made any."

He got upset upon learning that Indira Gandhi had accused him of keeping 'hit lists' and said (12):

"I have challenged her and given a warning. Upon my life and upon my breath, let her prove where did I get the paper for that hit list, where did I get the pen, and the ink and the inkpot. She should get the C.B.I. to check this out. If she proves that I have signed any paper; that I have signed for the purpose of anybody's being killed; standing here in the presence of Hazoor (13), I declare that I shall cut off my head and place it before the congregation."

(6) Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale: Speech on 27 February 1983.
(7) Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale: Speech on 1 March 1983.
(8) For example, Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale: Speeches on 27 February 1983, 10 June 1983, 6 July 1983, and 19 July 1983.
(9) Amarjit Kaur: The Akali Dal, the Enemy Within, in The Punjab Story, edited by Amarjit Kaur et al., Roli Books, New Delhi, 1984, page 24.
(10) Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale: Speech on 11 May 1983.
(11) Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale: Speech on 19 July 1983.
(12) Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale: Speech on 16 October 1983.
(13) Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Dr Ranbir Singh is the author of 'Struggle for Justice: Speeches and Conversations of Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale'.