Gurbachan Singh Manochahal

Gurbachan Singh Manochahal (6 June 1954 – 28 February 1993) was a Sikh militant who founded the Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan in 1984.[1][2]

Baba
Gurbachan Singh Manochahal
ਗੁਰਬਚਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਮਾਨੋਚਾਹਲ
Jathedar of the Akal Takht
In office
27 April 1986 – 26 January 1987
Preceded byGurdev Singh Kaunke
Succeeded byDarshan Singh
1st Jathedar of Bhindranwale Tigers Force of Khalistan
In office
1984-1993
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byBalwinder Singh
Personal details
Born
Gurbachan Singh

(1954-06-06)6 June 1954
Manochahal, Tarn Taran, Panjab
Died28 February 1993(1993-02-28) (aged 38)
Rataul, Tarn Taran, Panjab
Known forFounder of Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan
PostChief

Early life

Gurbachan Singh was born on 6 June 1954 in the village Manochahal, Tarn Taran district in the Indian state of Punjab to S. Atma Singh and Gurmej Kaur. He served in the Indian Army during his youth.

Manochahal was shot in the arm during the 1978 Sikh–Nirankari clashes. After this incident, he had maintained a relationship with Damdami Taksal and became acquainted with other members of the organization, such as Amrik Singh and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.[3]

Insurgency

Manochahal led a resolution at the 1986 Sarbat Khalsa to declare the resolve of a separate Sikh homeland and also formed a Panthic committee which would lead Sikhs per this resolution.[4]

In the early days of the insurgency Manochahal lived in a hideout in the swamps of the Mand areas. He created many huts there and a Gurdwara. It is said that even if Manochahal was in battle he would complete his daily prayers. On top of the standard Sikh daily prayers he did two hours of meditation on Waheguru and 5 Sukhmani Sahibs.[5]

Police and CRPF had once surrounded the hut where Manochahal was staying. It is said they kept their distance out of fear. Manochahal told police he needed a flashlight to open the lock of the door. Police slid a flashlight under the crack of the door. Manochahal opened the door and went charging out with his brother both holding assault rifles. The officers retreated after suffering heavy casualties.[6]

In May of 1989 Manochahal was removed from the Panthic Committee for alleged looting, extortion, killing of innocents, and misuse of funds.[7]

In 1992, a separate Panthic committee headed by Dr. Sohan Singh was forme. It called for the boycott of the 1992 Punjab Legislative Assembly election. Manochahal argued they should contest in the election. He argued that it was the only time to get Khalistan and it was now or never .His demands for an election led others calling him a government puppet. He decided not to contest after Sikh leaders kept calling for a boycott. The formation of this committee undermined the influence of Manochahal who was criticized for his support for political participation and led to a divide between the armed groups within Punjab. [8]Elections resulted in a Congress Government under Beant Singh of the Congress Party. The formation of this committee undermined the influence of Manochahal who was criticized for his support for political participation and led to a divide between the armed groups within Punjab.

To make Manochahal surrender himself police illegal detained many of his family members. Manochahal refused to surrender which led the detention, torture, and death of his family members.[9]

Per Maloy Krishna Dhar, a former Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau, India, he was given the task to negotiate with Gurbachan Singh Manochahal. He contacted Manochahal through a journalist source, was blindfolded and taken a few hundred kilometres from Amritsar to meet with him where he secretly held negotiations for three hours before he was blindfolded again and transported back.[10]

[11]

Death

Manochahal carried a bounty of ₹30 lakh on his head. He was killed in a fierce police encounter on 1 March 1993 by Punjab Police. Manochahal escaped from the police's dragnet on 27 February in Bagrian village before the police cornered him in the nearby Rataul village the following day. After defending himself for an hour with a machine gun, he was killed.The chief of the Punjab Police, Kanwar Pal Singh Gill later proclaimed, "Now I can say that we have finished militancy in Punjab."[12][13]Manochahal killed 12 officers including DIG (Deputy inspector general) Ajit Singh.[14]

Views

Manochahal had strong views on many issues. When asked about the size of the Sikh state he fights for Manochahal answered with, “Due to the foolishness of our leaders, the area over which the Sikhs once ruled has been allowed to shrink… What we do have in mind is the rule of Khalsa over the Delhi Takht because our war is against the Brahmin-Bania combine, which will not budge an inch without a struggle. We shall fight to the end.”[15]

When asked about weather he was willing to negotiate for something less than Khalistan Manochahal answered with, “Nothing short of Khalsa raj will be acceptable now. We shall negotiate only if Khalistan is on the agenda.”[15]

When asked what will happen to Sikhs outside lf Punjab and Hindus in Punjab Manochahal answered with, “Sikhs outside Punjab have been oblivious of our problems. Now I suggest that they set up a base in Punjab. It will be pragmatic, for some day they will have to shift here. We are not keen to expel or drive out Hindus from Punjab but they will have to reconcile to the existence of Khalistan.”[15]

Bibliography
  • Van Dyke, Virginia (2009), "The Khalistan Movement in Punjab, India, and the Post-Militancy Era: Structural Change and New Political Compulsions", Asian Survey, 49 (6): 975–997, doi:10.1525/as.2009.49.6.975 https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurbachan_Singh_Manochal

https://www.1984tribute.com/shaheed-baba-gurbachan-singh-manochahal/

References
  1. Dang, Satyapal; Bakaya, Ravi M. (1 January 2000). Kharku lehar in Punjab. Gyan Books. p. 412 pages. ISBN 9788121206594.
  2. Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley (1996). Fighting for Faith and Nation. Series in Contemporary Ethnography. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 159ff. ISBN 9780812215922.
  3. Punjab, Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in (2003). Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab : Final Report. Sikh Students Federation. p. 346. ISBN 978-99933-53-57-7.
  4. Van Dyke 2009, p. 990.
  5. Singh, Harjinder (2008). Game of Love. Akaal Publishers. p. 242. ISBN 978-0-9554587-1-2.
  6. Singh, Harjinder (2008). Game of Love. Akaal Publishers. pp. 199–202. ISBN 978-0-9554587-1-2.
  7. Crenshaw, Martha (1 November 2010). Terrorism in Context. Penn State Press. p. 395. ISBN 978-0-271-04442-2.
  8. Aggarwal, J. C. (1992). Modern History of Punjab: A Look Back Into Ancient Peaceful Punjab Focusing Confrontation and Failures Leading to Present Punjab Problem, and a Peep Ahead : Relevant Select Documents. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 167–169. ISBN 978-81-7022-431-0.
  9. Punjab, Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in (2003). Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab : Final Report. Sikh Students Federation. p. 346. ISBN 978-99933-53-57-7.
  10. "Old men and their Official secrets - Times of India". The Times of India. 3 September 2006. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  11. "The Rajiv Gandhi years". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  12. "Indian police kill top Sikh guerilla". The Daily Gazette. 1 March 1993. p. 16.
  13. "Manochahal killed in encounter". The Indian Express. 1 March 1993. p. 1.
  14. Punjab, Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in (2003). Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab : Final Report. Sikh Students Federation. ISBN 978-99933-53-57-7.
  15. "We are in touch with militants in Assam and J&K: Gurbachan Singh Manochal". India Today. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
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