BABBAR KHALSA

'Babbar Khalsa' (, '') is a group considered to be among the oldest and most prominent of Sikh organisations calling for the formation of an independent Sikh state. The envisioned state, called Khalistan (meaning ''Land of the Pure'') by its proponents, would comprise Indian territory in the Punjab, and Punjabi-speaking areas of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Like other organisations, Babbar Khalsa was most active in the late 1970s and 1980s; the end of militancy in 1993 led to a dramatic fall in violence, although infrequent acts of resistance are still attributed to it. As during its heyday in the 1980s and early 1990s, it is predominantly sponsored by expatriate Sikhs, particularly in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Babbar Khalsa is listed as a terrorist organisation by the United Kingdom,^[1] the EU,^[2] Canada,^[3] India, and the United States. The United States has designated the Babbar Khalsa responsible for the bombing of Air India Flight 182;^[4] although the alleged members deemed responsible were all acquitted in a Canadian trial in 2005 for the lack of evidence in court.

Contents

Origins of the Babbar Khalsa

Decline

Recent events - possible revival?

References

Origins of the Babbar Khalsa

The Babbar Khalsa name traces its origin to the Babbar Akali Movement of 1920, which agitated against British colonial rule in India. The conception of Babbar Khalsa in its modern day form is widely believed to have been brought about as a result of the Nirankari-Akhand Kirtani Jatha clash on Vaisakhi in 1978, where thirteen Sikhs where killed in a police-backed Nirankari assault against Sikhs in Amritsar, where three Nirankaris were also left dead.^[5]. The founders of the organisation were Sukhdev Singh Babbar, Mehal Singh Babbar and Amarjit Kaur (wife of Fauja Singh, the leader of the procession of Sikhs killed in the unexpected assault by Nirankaris). The initial aim of this panthic organisation was to avenge the death of Sikhs and to eliminate enemies of the Sikh nation. On 24 April 1980, Gurbachan Singh, the "Baba" (head) of the Nirankaris, was killed; responsibility for this killing was claimed by Babbar Khalsa.
Talwinder Singh Parmar was put in charge of the international wing of the Babbar Khalsa in 1981, with Sukhdev Singh Babbar retaining overall command as chief or "Jathedar". Wadhawa Singh Babbar, Sulakhan Singh Babbar and Anokh Singh Babbar were assigned as vice-Jathedars. Following the martyrdom of the latter two and Wadhawa Singh's promotion to chief of Babbar Khalsa following the death of Sukhdev Singh Babbar, Mehal Singh Babbar (Sukhdev Singh's brother and co-founder), was designated the sole vice-Jathedar. Presently, both continue in their respective positions.

Decline

The crackdown on Sikh militant organisations by the Indian Government in the early 1990s, preceded by the widespread criminal and state terrorist infiltration of the Khalistan movement in general, weakened Babbar Khalsa International, ultimately leading to the death of Sukhdev Singh Babbar (9 August 1992) and Talwinder Singh Parmar (15 October 1992). Parmar's death remains controversial, and today he is accepted to have been shot in a gun battle with Indian police, with Canada's CBC network reporting that Parmar had been in police custody for some time prior to his death.
According to Punjab Police, the last words uttered by Sukhdev Singh Babbar were: "The Sukhdev Singh you have come to get has left, this body is an empty vessel, you may do with this as you wish." The death of Sukhdev Singh, described by India Today as “the most prominent leader since 1978” who had “an aura of invincibility”, severely weakened Babbar Khalsa.
Sukhdev Singh Babbar is universally recognised as being of paramount influence in propagating and maintaining the aim of Khalistan and was widely considered one of the backbones of the movement. Contrary to belief in certain quarters, Sukhdev Singh and the late Sant Baba Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale enjoyed a close and personal friendship and fought alongside each other during the Indian Army's assault on the Golden Temple complex. s
Sant Bhindranwale was quoted on numerous occasions as referring to Sukhdev Singh as "Sacha Sukha" (Truthful Sukhdev). Sant Bhindranwale had said this because at the time, rumours were circulating of a rift between Sant Bhindranwale's followers and Babbar Khalsa. In order to prevent disinformation from becoming truth, Sant Bhindranwale made many comments honoring the Babbars, complimenting their affection and love for Sikhi.

Recent events - possible revival?

Despite the setbacks incurred in the early Nineties, Babbar Khalsa is still active, although not to the extent it once was. The organisation at present is predominantly active in the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland and Pakistan. Current leadership resides with Wadhawa Singh Babbar, with Mehal Singh Babbar as deputy Jathedar. Presumed headquarters are located in Lahore.
On 31 August 1995, Dilawar Singh Babbar assassinated Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in a suicide bomb attack at the civil secretariat in Chandigarh.^[6] Dilawar claimed allegiance to the Babbar Khalsa and four other members of the Babbar Khalsa were named responsible for the killing.
On 31 May 2005 two alleged members of the Babbar Khalsa, Balvinder Singh Babbar and Jaganath Yadav were arrested and charged with the bombings of cinemas showing Jo Bole So Nihal in New Delhi on 22 May 2005. On 1 June 2005 the Delhi Police seized arms and ammunition from the house of Jaspal Singh Babbar. The seized items included 1 kg of RDX, a timer, detonator, a .303 rifle, 20 rounds of ammunitions, the uniform of a head constable of the Punjab Police along with several fake driving licences.^[7] Many innocent Sikhs are being accused of terrorist intentions because of the actions of these members of the Babbar Khalsa.
One week later the Delhi police arrested Babbar Khalsa's India Operations Chief Jagtar Singh Hawara Babbar. Hawara had escaped from jail in Chandigarh through a long tunnel dug by inmates. At the time, he stood accused of being the mastermind behind the assasination of Beant Singh in 1995. Among the items recovered in the arrest were 10.35 kg of RDX, four pistols, 207 live cartridges, remote control devices, and a hand grenade.^[8]
In a possible sign of militant revival, three Babbar Khalsa members were arrested on 21 March, 2006. Among the arrested was Paramjit Singh Bheora Babbar, the current head of Babbar Khalsa's India Operations; Bheora had assumed the position following the arrest of Jagtar Singh Hawara Babbar. Bheora was arrested along with Jasbir Singh Babbar and Bhupinder Singh Babbar.
According to Delhi Police, items recovered in the arrest included 4 kilograms of RDX, 3 detonators, 1 remote control device with a wireless set, 1 timer, 3 Star make pistols, 39 cartridges and a stolen car. Bheora had allegedly worked with Jagtar Singh Hawara Babbar Jagtar Singh Tara Babbar in digging a 100 foot escape tunnel in Burail jail. ^[9]. According to Punjab Police, Paramjit Singh Bheora "confessed" to recruiting up to 24 people into Babbar Khalsa, allegedly stating his intention to send 6 of them to Pakistan for training and to purchase some weapons. ^[10]
The Punjab Police arrested 4 more people associated with Babbar Khalsa International (India branch) chief Paramjit Singh Bheora. ^[11]. Punjab Police apprended Amanpreet Kaur, wife of Paramjit Singh Bheora along with 4 other suspected militants. The police also recovered some weapons from them. ^[12]
Police arrested an aide to Jagtar Singh Hawara Babbar, known as Gurinder Singh Babbar in the town of Jagraon. Gurinder Singh Babbar was later charged by Indian Police for planning to assassinate a retired army general who played a vital part in Operation Bluestar and for providing shelter to Hawara when he escaped from Burail prison.^[13]
Following these developments, Indian Police arrested Harpal Singh Cheema in New Delhi at Indira Gandhi Airport. According to the Indian Police, Cheema allegedly had links to some Sikh militant groups such as Babbar Khalsa.^[14]
The Canadian government decided to deport a Babbar Khalsa militant, Bachan Singh Sogi Babbar, on charges of planning to assassinate former Chief Minister of Punjab Prakash Singh Badal along with his son Sukhbir Singh Badal, and former Punjab Police Chief KPS Gill. ^[15]. Bachan Singh Sogi Babbar was considered to be number three in the Babbar Khalsa hierarchy, after Wadhawa Singh Babbar and Mehal Singh Babbar. ^[16]

References

1. Home Office - Proscribed terrorist groups in the UK
2. EU list of terrorist groups
3. Canadian listing of terrorist groups
4. US designation of Babbar Khalsa responsibility for Flight 182
5. Punjab: The Knights of Falsehood — Psalms of Terror, All About Sikhs — Amritsar Massacre 1978
6. The Telegraph, Calcutta, India, "Beant trial trio in tunnel getaway" 22 January 2004
7. The Tribune, India, "2 Babbars held for Delhi cinema blasts" 31 May 2005
8. The Tribune, India, "Delhi blasts: Babbar Khalsa chief Hawara held" 8 June 2005
9. The Tribune, India, "Bheora, 2 other Babbars arrested" 21 March 2006
10. Express Newsline, India, "Bheora recruited 24 men after escaping" 01 April 2006
11. Outlook India, India, "Four associates of BKI militant Bheora arrested" 04 April 2006
12. India Monitor, UK, "Police nab five terrorists in Kapurthala" 04 April 2006
13. Express India, India, "Jagraon Police nets ‘big fish’: Hawara aide nabbed from bus stand" 28 April 2006
14. India Monitor, UK, "Terrorist nabbed at IGI Airport" 03 May 2006
15. Zee News, India, "Canada deports Babbar Khalsa militant" 03 July 2006
16. Zee News, India, "Police remand of Sogi extended till July 13" 10 July 2006