Gurbachan Singh Manochahal

Gurbachan Singh Manochahal was a Khalistani militant,[1] who founded the Bhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan in 1984[2] (in reaction of unjustified attack on Darbar Sahib also known as Golden Temple, and served as the acting Jathedar of Akal Takht from April 1986 to January 1987.

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Sikhism

Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahal
ਸ਼ਹੀਦ
ਬਾਬਾ ਗੁਰਬਚਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਮਾਨੋਚਾਹਲ
Jathedar of Akal Takht
In office
27 April 1986 – 26 January 1987
Preceded byGurdev Singh Kaunke
Succeeded byDarshan Singh
Personal details
Born
Gurbachan Singh

(1954-06-06)6 June 1954
Manochahal, Tarn Taran, Panjab
Died27 February 1993(1993-02-27) (aged 38)
Rataul, Tarn Taran, Panjab
Militant groupBhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan
PostChief

Early life

Gurbachan Singh Manochahal was born on 6 June 1954 at village Manochahal in Tarn Taran district in Punjab to S. Atma Singh and Gurmej Kaur. He served in the Indian Army during his youth. He was later court martialed from the army.

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

Insurgency

Shortly after Operation Blue Star, Manochahal conspired with other individuals linked to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale to form armed groups which resulted in the formation of the BTFK headed by Manochahal himself and the Khalistan Commando Force headed by Manbir Singh Chaheru.

In 1986, When the movement was at its peak, the militants called the Sarbat Khalsa. The SGPC had the authority to appoint the jathedar, so the militants dissolved SGPC and appointed their own Jathedar. When that person refused do their bidding, Gurbachan Singh Manochahal appointed himself by force as jathedar (head) of the Akal Takht, which is the supreme religio-temporal seat of the Sikhs.[3] Manochahal led a resolution at the 1986 Sarbat Khalsa to declare the resolve of a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan and also formed a Panthic committee which would lead Sikhs per this resolution.

In 1992, a separate Panthic committee headed by Dr. Sohan Singh was formed. It was supported by Babbar Khalsa. It called for the boycott of the 1992 Punjab Legislative Assembly election. 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.

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.[4]

Per India Today, Prime Minister of India, Mr Rajiv Gandhi perceived a serious threat from Gurbachan Singh Manochahal. Mr Gandhi even insisted on being personally briefed on Manochahal's interrogation on a daily basis when he was caught by security forces.[5]

Death

"Indian police kill top Sikh guerilla". The Daily Gazette. 1 March 1993.</ref>

Bibliography

References
  1. Dang, Satyapal; Bakaya, Ravi M. (1 January 2000). Terrorism 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. Van Dyke 2009, p. 990.
  4. "Old men and their Official secrets - Times of India". Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  5. "The Rajiv Gandhi years". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
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