A terrible tragedy befell India on December 8, 2021, when an Army chopper with senior officials, including the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff(CDS) General Bipin Rawat, crashed near the Coonoor region in Tamil Nadu.
An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, frequently used by Indian forces, had crashed near Coonoor earlier today. The chopper was airborne from Sulur to Wellington. 14 persons were on board. Along with CDS Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kr, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, Lance Naik B Sai Teja & Hav Satpal were among the passengers.
Out of 14 people travelling in the helicopter, at least 13 have been confirmed dead, including CDS General Bipin Rawat. The Indian Air Force recently took to social media to inform that Bipin Rawat was one among the 13 who have perished in the tragic chopper crash.
However, even when there was no confirmation on the fate of Bipin Rawat, some folks in uniform could not hide their hatred for the nation’s first CDS. At a time when the entire nation was desperately praying for the safety and well being of General Bipin Rawat, there were some retired army men who fell over themselves to declare that General Bipin Rawat was dead. Some others insinuated that the CDS got what he deserved.
Retired army men express their hatred for CDS Bipin Rawat amid chopper crash tragedy
Retired Lt Gen H S Panag tweeted, “RIP General Bipin Rawat!” even though there was no official communication from the Centre or the Armed Forces about his death.
Another retired army man Retired Col Baljit Bakshi tweeted, “Karma has its own way of dealing with people.” His tweet naturally sparked outrage on social media, with netizens attacking him for wishing ill on Gen Bipin Rawat.
Mr Bakshi removed the tweet and issued an apology, stating that his tweet was not taken kindly by many and that he had no intention of wishing anything bad to anyone. Apparently, a few minutes later, he deleted his apology as well.
It is noteworthy to mention that retired Col Baljit Bakshi had made no bones about his support to the farmers and had vociferously supported the demonstrations that were hijacked by Khalistani elements as banned organisations such as Sikhs For Justice, along with other groups sympathetic to the Khalistani sentiments such as Khalsa Aid, partook in the protests, mobilising resources and support with the aim to sow discord and engender resentment against the Centre among the people.
In a tweet on November 19, the day when PM Modi startled the country with his announcement to repeal the three farm laws, retired Col Baljit Bakshit had posted a photo of a man with his face covered in blood and tweeted: “Finally, the blood had paid off. Today, Modi has accepted his crime but his punishment is still left.”
आख़िरकार खून रंग लाया। अभी तो मोदी ने जुर्म क़बूल किया है, सजा मिलनी तो बाक़ी है। pic.twitter.com/koujSKSSjh
— Col Baljit Bakshi (Retd) (@BaljitBakshi) November 19, 2021
Who was Shahbeg Singh?
These indiscreet utterances by men who donned the uniform and served in the country’s prestigious and honourable armed forces remind one of Shahbeg Singh, an Indian Army officer who later served as a military advisor to Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Before being initiated in the Khalistani movement, Singh, PVSM, AVSM, served in the Indian Army and was extensively involved in the training of Mukti Bahini volunteers to ward off the threats posed by Pakistan-backed Islamists during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was dismissed from the army on charges of corruption and denied of his pension just a day before his retirement, for which he sought redress in civil court and was later acquitted.
After serving in Army, Shabeg joined Khalistan movement and served as military adviser to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
After his dismissal from the armed forces, he joined the Khalistan movement and served as a military adviser and trainer for the group’s terrorists. According to counter-intelligence reports of the R&AW, the three prominent figures of the Khalistan Army were Major General Shahbeg Singh, Balbier Singh and Amrik Singh.
In December 1983, the Sikh political party Akali Dal’s President Harcharan Singh Longowal had invited Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale to take up residence in Golden Temple Complex. Shahbeg Singh is widely credited for fortifying the defences of the Temple Complex that rendered the possibility of a commando operation on foot impossible.
Shahbeg Singh is also said to have organised the Sikh terrorists present at the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar in June 1984, the same month when the Indian government launched Operation Blue Star to weed out the menace of Khalistani terrorism once and for all. Singh was killed during the initial stages of the operation, during the firing between Akal Takht and Darshini Deorhi. His body was later found and identified when the operation was over. Despite his betrayal to the country, Singh was cremated according to Sikh rites and with full military honours.
