As the days pass, more videos of alleged farmers have emerged in which they are threatening violence if their demands are not met. In a now-viral video that was first released on January 4 on YouTube by Chadta Punjab TV, two ‘farmers’ can be seen singing a song in front of actor-turned-leader Deep Sidhu.
Notably, Sidhu was present at Red Fort on January 26 when two flags, a yellow rectangular flag and a saffron triangular flag, both with holy Sikh symbol, were hoisted alongside Tricolour. The incident was condemned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ramnath Kovind, among other leaders.
‘Bloodbath will follow’ – a song that threatened violence
A 5-minute video is making rounds on social media platforms sung by two ‘farmers’ in the presence of Deep Sidhu. The song’s lyrics suggest that the protestors will continue agitation even if they are termed as a rebel or terrorists. They further stated that if the government tries to get strict against them, a bloodbath will follow.
Once again pairs of Jinda and Sukha will rise across Punjab. pic.twitter.com/cziWAENzVQ
— California Sikh Youth Alliance (@THE_CSYA) February 2, 2021
Notably, the song has been hailed by California based pro-Khalistan outfit California Sikh Youth Alliance. The same group was behind uprooting the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Davis, California. They had distributed sweets when the above two flags were hoisted on Red Fort on January 26.
‘Sukha and Jinda will rise again’
They further sang that if the government denies to take back the agriculture laws, the duo of Sukha and Jinda will rise again in Punjab. The majority of the Indians are unaware of the terror Punjab had to go through during the insurgency. During that time, apart from Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, numerous Khalistani terrorists killed countless on the pretext of claiming a separate state Khalistan.
Two among those terrorists were Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh Sukha, who were members of the Khalistan Comando Force. The duo was part of several high-profile assassinations, including Congress leader Lalit Maken (accused of Sikh genocide), General Arun Vaidya (who designed and supervised Operation Blue Star) and Congress leader Arjan Dass (accused of Sikh genocide). They were also involved in India’s largest bank robbery in 1987 for funding Khalistan, a Sikh state.
Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh Sukha
Born to a farmer family, in Jandiala, Amritsar, Jinda joined the separatist Khalistan movement soon after Operation Blue Star. Sukhdev Singh Sukha, too, was born to Saini Sikh farmer family in Ganganagar, Rajasthan. They originally belonged to Hoshiarpur in Punjab. He, too, left his studies to join the Khalistan movement after Operation Blue Star. Both were members of Khalistan Commando Force.
On 31st July 1985, Congress leader and MLA Lalit Maken was walking towards his car parked near his house. He was gunned down by Jinda, Sukha and Ranjit Singh Gill alias Kukki. His wife Gitanjali and another visitor were also caught in the firing. While his wife survived the shooting, she succumbed to her injuries. Congress leader Ajay Maken is Lalit Maken’s nephew.
On 5th September 1985, Jinda and Sukha killed Congress leader Arjan Dass for his alleged involved in 1984 anti-Sikh riots that took place following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. Dass was named by various Sikh victims in their affidavits they had submitted to the Supreme Court appointed Nanavati Commission. He was a close aide of former Indira Gandhi’s son, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
On 10th August 1986, General Arun Vaidya, who had moved to Pune after his retirement, was shot to death by Jinda and Sukha when he was driving back home from market. The duo, who were riding a motorcycle, pulled up next to him and fired eight to nine shots at him. He is believed to have died instantly due to head and neck injuries. His wife, who was with him in the car, was also shot at and sustained injuries. Khalistan Commando Force took responsibility of the assassination and said he was killed to avenge Operation Blue Star.
On 13th February 1987, Jinda and Sukha along with other members of Khalistan Commando Force looted over Rs 5 crore from from Punjab National Bank, Ludhiana. About 12-15 Khalistani terrorists dressed as policemen and armed with submachine guns and rifles participated in the robbery. It is pegged as the biggest bank robbery in India’s history.
Also involved in this robbery was Mathra Singh, Jinda’s nephew. He was also uncle of Surjit Singh Penta, the Khalistani terrorist who consumed cyanide during Operation Black Thunder in 1988.
In march 1987, Jinda was arrested from New Delhi’s Majnu Ka Tilla. He was shot in his legs while the police tried to catch him. On 17th September 1987, Sukha was arrested after he was involved in a truck accident in Pune. He was riding same motorcycle that was used in assassination of General Vaidya. The duo admitted to their crime of assassinating Gen Vaidya but pleaded not-guilty. They justified killing him as he was ‘guilty of a serious crime, the punishment for which could only be death’.
The duo were sentenced to death on 21st October 1989 and hanged at Yerwada jail on 9th October 1992. When they were being taken to the gallows, they reportedly kept chanting pro-Khalistan slogans.
‘Enemies would have conquered India if Sikhs were not there’
They further claimed that India is safe only because Sikhs are on the border. If Sikhs move away from the border, India will cease to exist. They also said that they would not step back from sacrificing themselves as they are the Sikhs who saved and established India.
And while it is true that a lot of Sikhs protect our borders and their brave and exemplary courage has protected India from the enemies, when an individual dons the uniform, he is an Indian first, then anything else.
‘It is not easy to become Jarnail’
In the video, while remembering the Afghan-Sikh war, they alleged that because they defeated invaders, only warriors of their religion could become ‘Jarnail.’ The literal meaning of the word is commander-in-chief but the word in today’s context is often refers to the Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
‘India did not give due respect to Bhagat Singh and other Sikh freedom fighters’
They alleged that Bhagat Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha gave their lives for the country, but India did not pay due respect to the freedom fighters belonging to the Sikh community.
This is untrue. Indians, across political ideologies and religions have forever expressed their gratitude and hailed Bhagat Singh and other Sikh freedom fighters irrespective of their religion.
The current protests, however, have been infiltrated by Khalistani elements and have used this as an opportunity to pit the Sikhs against rest of India.
