Saga of 1978

1978 - 2008 : 30 Years Later - A Nation Commemorates

Panthic leaders, including Baba Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale, Bhai Joginder Singh Talwara at the site where the Antim-Saskar of the 13th Shaheeds was performed. Bhai Fauja Singh Ji's shield can be seen amongst the ashes.

View Rare Photographs of Procession and Antim-Sanskar of 1978 Shaheeds

As the 30th anniversary of the 1978 Vaisakhi massacre approaches, the Sikh Nation must contemplate on where it currently stands on issues involving increasing anti-Sikh activities. Although three decades ago, thirteen Sikhs laid down their lives for the sake of respect for Guru Granth and Guru Panth, can Sikhs of today even claim to abide by the precedents set by the Sikh Shaheeds?

Today, as our leadership has taken up the never-ending task of collecting the world’s financial wealth; Punjab once again is falling to the trap of ‘dehdhari cults’ such as Sacha Sauda, Naamdharis, Radhaswamis, Noormehal and others. Instead of initiating projects to raise awareness against drug abuse, the leaders of Punjab are involved in supplying drugs to the masses. Lack of parchar at Sikh institutions is leading the Sikh youth and adults to turn their backs on the values and beliefs of the religion.

"This day must not be forgotten. This is the day to remember the Martyrs of Amritsar. This is a day to be proud of, that at least there were men among us who could live to the very tradition of the Khalsa. There were men among us while alive who could take eleven bullets in their body and still say, Waheguru. They went as a true son goes to defend the grace of the father. "

It was after 1978 that the Sikh Nation launched a decade long movement to shake the shackles of slavery from its shoulders. But sadly, only in a period of another decade, the movement has suffered costly blows from all four corners of the world. Today, not only are political issues which originate in India affecting the Sikhs, our Nation remains under the eye of major world powers. After a period of thirty years, will the Kingdom of Lions wake up to once again raise its Nishan Sahib high on the Red Fort?

In such a hope, we provide our readership with our weekly edition, dedicated to the lives of the thirteen shaheeds of Amritsar Sahib.

Names of the Shaheeds :

Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Surain Singh, Amritsar

Shaheed Bhai Avtar Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Bhagwan Singh, Kuda Kurala, Hoshiarpur

Shaheed Bhai Harbhajan Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Jagat Singh, Bhattian, Gurdaspur

Shaheed Bhai Piara Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Kishan Singh, Bhungrani, Hoshiarpur

Shaheed Bhai Raghbir Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Nawab Singh, Bhagupur, Amritsar

Shaheed Bhai Gurcharan Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Daleep Singh, New Model Town, Ludhiana

Shaheed Bhai Gurdial Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Sohan Singh, Mode, Amritsar

Shaheed Bhai Amrik Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Kundan Singh, Khujala, Amritsar

Shaheed Bhai Dharambir Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Lal Singh, Ajeet Nagar, Amritsar

Shaheed Bhai Kewal Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Amar Singh, Prem Garh, Hoshiarpur

Shaheed Bhai Hari Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Gurcharan Singh, Kot Ralia Ram, Amritsar

Shaheed Bhai Ranbir Singh Fauji,
son of Sardar Kala Singh,Thraj, Faridkot

Shaheed Baba Darshan Singh Ji,
son of Sardar Achhar Singh Ji, Mehtha, Amritsar

Sikh boy in race attack

Apr 9 2008 by Luke Traynor, Liverpool Echo

AN 11-YEAR-OLD Sikh boy had his turban ripped off and stamped upon by a group of racist thugs on a Liverpool bus.

Arjan Rhode was attacked by a gang of teenagers on Monday afternoon on the 82 service in Garston.

Moments after he got on the bus near Aigburth Road, he was tapped on the shoulder and his turban was suddenly pulled from his head.

A group of around nine yobs, aged around 18, passed the turban around while mocking the St Benedict's RC College pupil.

They shouted a tirade of racist abuse at the terrified boy as they stamped on the turban on the floor.

The turban is one of the most important religious symbols for a Sikh and damaging one is seen as a huge insult.

The bus was packed, around school leaving time at 3.10pm, but nobody intervened.

Arjan left the bus sobbing and recounted the assault to his mother who immediately telephoned the police.

Police have arrested a boy aged 17 on suspicion of a religiously aggravated public order offence.

He was being questioned by officers and the matter could be passed to the force's Sigma Unit, which deals with hate crime.

Police are set to examine CCTV tapes from the bus.

It is alleged that the mocking group were made up of current and former pupils from St Benedict's, formerly St John Almond, and the school has been contacted.

His mother, who wished to be identified only as Mrs Aurkaur, said her son had been left traumatised and was off school.

She said: "The bus was busy but nobody helped him. After it happened, Arjan sat there alone and frightened until he got off.

"This was a completely offensive act, the turban is the basis of Sikh religion."

Mrs Aurkaur said her son had suffered repeated racist attacks and insults at his school in Horrocks Avenue, Garston.

Headteacher John Finnigan said initial inquiries suggested none of the yobs was a pupil, but he would work with police to identify them.

He said: "Any racist incidents are totally against the ethos of our Catholic college."

"Such incidents are always condemned, thoroughly investigated and action taken.

"This matter occurred after school, but we have obviously made inquiries among our students and teachers."

"College staff and the police will be patrolling the area at the end of the school day."