Shaheed Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar

 

August 9 is the Shaheedi Purb of Jathedar Bhai Sukhdev Singh Ji Babbar.

Bhai Sukhdev Singh Ji was a perfect example of a Gursikh; described by all as soft spoken, quiet and peaceful, being an extremely religious Singh he would spend many hours daily in deep meditation. He took Amrit in 1977 and in 1978 the Bir Russ (warrior spirit) was fully awakened in him when his close friend Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh Ji was gunned down after protesting peacefully by the fanatical cult Nirankaris. 

These Narakdharis would do the greatest insults of Sikhi by placing their feet on the Guru Granth Sahib, tearing out pages and ridiculing the Panj Pyare. Jathedar Ji immediately made it his mission to remove this growing threat and he was responsible for the assassination of the Narakdhari chief Gurbachan who had murdered the group of Sikhs peacefully protesting in 1978 and insulted the Guru. In his fourteen years of service to the Panth Bhai Sahib assassinated many murderers and dushts (enemies) of Sikhi within India.

Jathedar Ji took guerilla warfare to a new level. Bhai Sahib would work undercover mixing with the rich and powerful, finding out the latest information about what was being planned against Sikhs. He was an expert electrician and used this to cause havoc against the army, being the first militant to use explosives against the Indian Army. The Babbars also helped bring most of the weapons to the Singhs defending Harmandir Sahib in 1984 and were experts in obtaining weapons and ammunition. An article in ‘India Today’ claimed Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar to be “the most prominent militant leader since 1978” who had “an aura of invincibility”. When finally caught, Bhai Sahib said “The Sukhdev Singh you have come to get has left, this body is an empty vessel, you may do with this as you wish.” He was killed on 9th August 1992.