Standing for Rightious

ਸੂਰਾ ਸੋ ਪਹਿਚਾਨੀਏ, ਜੋ ਲਰੈ ਦੀਨੁ ਕੇ ਹੇਤੁ || ਪੁਰਜਾ ਪੁਰਜਾ ਕਟੁ ਮਰੈ, ਕਬਹੁੰ ਨਾ ਛਾਡੈ ਖੇਤੁ ||

सूरा सौ पहचानिये जो लढ़े दीन के हेत ।।  पुर्ज़ा पुर्ज़ा कट मरे, कभु ना छाडै खेत ।।

(He alone is the true warrior both spiritually and worldly who fights against injustice and for oppressed. He may cut apart piece by piece but never leaves the battlefield.)

Person whom I am talking about today lived by the above principles of Sikhi and gave his life. He was a true Sikh of Guru, a Singh, a lion that he alone stood up against state’s oppression and injustice that happened during 80’s and 90’s in Punjab. He stood up for humanity during dark times when even the media was not ready to acknowledge the innocent killings of Sikh youth and instead backed the butchers of Punjab (KP Gill and Beant Singh (Punjab’s CM)). That was the time when he stood up and discovered the mass cremation records of up to 25,000 young Sikh men who were illegally killed in fake encounters. Roar of this singh caused state to go on back foot and he was threatened that “he has only found 25,000 records of the many more that happened and it won’t cost them to do one more if he doesn’t stop”.

Needless to say he didn’t stopped and filed his report in United Nations human rights commission about the atrocities being committed in Punjab. He was abducted on 6th September 1995 from in front of his house in Ludhiana (Punjab) and was brutally killed.

Reason what I am highlighting here is not that he too was killed illegally by state but the thing that he knew what he was doing and what that could land him into but then also he was unmoved (A Light of Justice). On reading an excerpt from his close acquaintance that he told this man to be careful about his life as well  to which this man replied.

ਹਵਾ ਕੇ ਸਾਥ ਭੀ ਰਿਸ਼ਤੇ ਬੜੇ ਪੁਰਾਨੇ ਹੈਂ।ਮਗਰ ਚਿਰਾਗ਼ ਤੋ ਹਰ ਹਾਲ ਮੇਂ ਜਲਾਨੇ ਹੈ।

हवा के साथ भी रिश्ते बड़े पूराने हैं। मगर चिराग़ तो हर हाल मैं जलाने हैं।

This showed his commitment to the values of Sikhi and humanity which are popularly referred to as:

ਸਿਰ ਜਾਵੇ ਤਾਂ ਜਾਵੇ, ਮੇਰਾ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਸਿਦਕ ਨਾਂ ਜਾਵੇ

सिर जाये तो जाए पर मेरा सिखी सिधक ना जाये।

(Happy to get myself beheaded but not betraying my Sikh Values)

Sardar Jaswant Singh ji Khalra gave his life to protect each of us and one of the important ideals which our faith demands. His Selfless sacrifice not only deserves our gratitude, but also our commitment to continuously strive to live up to those ideals.

On this note I would conclude this article by saluting the great man and may almighty give us all the strength to stand for righteous.

To mark the UN international day of disappeared Khalsa Aid has launched an exhibition Lapta. It showcases portraits and interviews that expose truth behind the forced disappearances in Punjab.