Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on July 13 asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to install the portraits of Khalistani extremists Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Paramjit Singh Panjwar and Gajinder Singh at the Central Sikh Museum in the Golden Temple complex. All of them were wanted in India.
Giani Raghbir Singh was addressing a function organised by the SGPC and the Dal Khalsa at Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Baba Gurbaksh Singh behind the Akal Takht near the Golden Temple.
Giani Raghbir Singh termed Gajinder Singh, Nijjar and Panjwar as martyrs. Paying tribute to Dal Khalsa founder Gajinder Singh, the jathedar said, “He neither compromised on Sikh principles nor bowed before the governments. In 2020, Akal Takht Sahib announced the title of ‘Sikh Warrior in Exile’ for him. In the coming days, a ceremony will be organised to deliver the title from the Takht to him.”
He said the SGPC should display the portraits of the trio in view of their “sacrifices”. “Following the Akal Chalana (passing away) of Gajinder Singh in Pakistan a few days ago, today last prayers for him were held inside Golden Temple by SGPC with support from Dal Khalsa. On this occasion, prominent figures like Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh, and other community leaders participated,” reads the press note issued by SGPC.
“Gajinder Singh was a warrior of Sikh struggles who dedicated a significant part of his life to the cause of the community. Despite his life as an exiled warrior, he never compromised on his firmness and dedication towards the struggle for freedom for the community. I regret that governments in the country where we reside have never truly considered our rights, said Raghbir Singh while addressing the gathering.
Notably, Radcial leader Gajinder Singh spent 14 years in a Pakistani jail for hijacking a plane in 1981. The plane was hijacked soon after Bhindranwale was arrested after the assassination of Lala Jagat Narain, founder and editor of Punjab Kesari Group and Hind Samachar Group.
Gajinder was released from the Pakistani jail in 1995 and was living in exile. In 2001, after the Parliament attack, the Ministry of Home Affairs released a list of 20 wanted criminals and handed it over to Pakistan for extradition. Ganjinder was one of those 20 individuals wanted in India.
Another Khalistani extremist for whom Jathedar demanded a portrait in the central sikh museum is Paramjeet Singh Panjwar. Panjwar, former chief of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) is one of India’s most wanted criminals, was shot dead in Lahore on May 6, 2023, while Hardeep Singh Nijjar was also a designated terrorist by the Government of India. He was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia Canada in an apparent gang war on June 18, 2023.
Following his assassination, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of killing him but failed to provide any evidence for the same. The accusations led to sour relations between India and Canada.
It is to be noted that, so far, Canada has not provided any workable evidence that Indian agencies were involved in Nijjar’s murder.
Notably, militant organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) chief Wadhawa Singh Babbar who is in Pakistan, former CM Beant Singh’s jailed assassins Jagtar Singh Hawara, Paramjit Singh Bheora, Jagtar Singh Tara, American Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sikh Federation UK and Sikh Federation America sent written messages, paying tributes to Singh.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Delhi chief Paramjit Singh Sarna, former SAD (Amritsar) MP and Khalistani leader Simranjit Singh Mann and leaders of radical Sikh organisations were present on the occasion.
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