Bhai Lal Singh Akalgarh
/“For the past 36 years I have had the great good fortune of passing my time as a lowly servant of the Khalsa Panth, for the future my Ardaas is in the Charan of Akaal Purkh, that somehow, as a lowly Sikh servant, continue to take your Seva from me.”
Bhai Lal Singh Akalgarh, a towering figure of the Sikh revolutionary insurrection against the indian state, has recently been released from indian prison after 28 years. Imprisoned since 1992 for waging war against the indian state. The charges levelled against Bhai Lal Singh according to the indian high court in Punjab and Haryana, for which he was convicted and sentenced, were:
“The allegations against them were that they brought arms to India and indulged in unlawful subversive activities, created organization in Lahore for liberation of Kashmir and creation of Khalistan. They had conspired with some of the absconders to strike terror by violent means to eliminate BJP/Hindu Leaders/Police Officers and for that purpose procured fire-arms, ammunitions and explosives.”
Bhai Lal Singh was sentenced to life, under indian law a prisoner is usually eligible for release after 10 to 14 years. However for Sikh political prisoners sentencing terms are mostly indefinite due to the risk Sikh political prisoners are deemed to pose to the “integrity of the Indian Union”.
Bhai Lal Singh, alias Manjit Singh, has been committed to the Sikh liberation movement for Khalistan since 1984. According to legal documents, including court transcripts and indian parliament records, which are in the public domain, Bhai Lal Singh was ‘closely affiliated’ and a ‘member’ of the International Sikh Youth Federation and the Khalistan Liberation Force.
Working closely with Jathedar Talwinder Singh Babbar, he was part of a sensational assassination attempt on Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 in the US. Bhai Lal Singh also set up a commando training camp in Alabama, for Sikh fighters entering the battlefield from North America.
The FBI had tried to capture Bhai Lal Singh during a sting operation, Bhai Lal Singh was alleged to have been procuring heavy weaponry for the struggle for Khalistan which was in full height at that time. He was able to evade both the FBI and the CSIS and landed in Pakistan, where he networked with the Sikh freedom fighting groups based there to maintain the supply of arms in to Panjab, to ensure his counterparts in the battlefield could fight against the combined efforts of indian security forces.
By 1992 the movement had suffered serious setbacks including the Shaheedian of top generals and Jathedars including General Labh Singh and Jathedar Avtar Singh Brahma. State genocide, mass rapes, and extra-judicial murders to suppress the will of the people of Punjab had continued unabated with police and para-military enjoying full impunity in Punjab targeting Sikh civilians, Sikh fighters and their family members.
It was during this time, that Bhai Lal Singh and his companions had allegedly turned their sights to other areas in india to give what they deemed a ‘befitting response’. When Bhai Lal Singh was arrested in Gujarat in 1992 it was reported that it was his third trip into the country for the purposes of supplying arms to Sikh freedom fighting groups, and also that he was involved in targeted bombing campaigns of high financial interest and infrastructure of the indian state.
When Bhai Lal Singh was arrested, according to the indian ‘state minister on recovery of huge Quantity of Arms & Ammunition at Ahamedabad (Gujrat)’, the following arms and explosives were seized from their possession:
(1) Rocket Launchers - 4
(2) AK-56 Rifles - 35
(3) Pistols - 14
(4) Magazines of AK-56 Rifles/Pistols - 100
(5) Drum Magazines - 1
(6) 82.2 Grenades - 25
(7) H.G. 36 Grenades - 12
(8) Light Machine Gun - 1
(9) Packets of White coloured explosives - 20
(10) Packets of black coloured explosives - 35
(11) Packets of gelatine - 34
(12) Rockets - 8
(13) Electric wire for explosives - 5
(14) Insulating Roll - 14
(15) Body wire Tape - 9
(16) Bundles of detonators - 3
(17) Plugs - 14
(18) Cartridges of AK-56 Rifles - 5413
(19) Cartridges of Pistols - 1004
(20) Cartridges of 9 mm - 699
(21) Fuse Plastic Rolls - 14
(22) Hand Grenades - 10
(23) Transistors Bombs - 3
The above account is based on indian court proceedings and from available documents in the public domain, from 1984 till their arrest in 1992 Bhai Lal Singh has been accused and suspected of a wide range of insurrectionary activity for “facilitating creation of Khalistan and liberation of Jammu and Kashmir”. The true extent of their contribution to the Sikh liberation struggle is an account know to Akaal Purkh Vaheguru who is responsible for the agvahi of the Sangharsh.
Throughout their time in detention, while groups abroad who claim to support Sikh guerrillas and political prisoners have changed sides and positions, erased the reality of the politics of insurrection, and compromised heavily, Bhai Lal Singh has maintained his principled stance. In a video made after their release, they thanked Akaal Purakh for their “small contribution” to the Sikh Qaum and after 28 years in jail prayed to be blessed with more seva in the future.
Video transcript:
“Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh, the past 28 years have passed in jail according to the will of Akaal Purkh with care and contentment. Today on account of the great blessing of Akaal Purkh a permeant release had been made. I am thankful for the Ardaasa of all the Sangat, efforts of individuals and jathebandia. For the past 36 years I have had the great good fortune of passing my time as a lowly servant of the Khalsa Panth, for the future my Ardaas is in the Charan of Akaal Purkh, that somehow, as a lowly Sikh servant, continue to take your Seva from me. I ask forgiveness for any mistakes Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh”
