The Story of a Rebel General
Major General Shabeg Singh AVSM and PVSM (1925-1984), was a distinguished Indian Army officer noted for his service in training of Mukti Bahini volunteers during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
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| Major General Shabeg Singh |
By nature Gen Shabeg Singh was a voracious reader, he had read about every military campaign and knew the biography of every military general of consequence. He had a natural flair for history and loved reading. He could fluently speak Punjabi, Persian, Urdu, Bangla, Gorkhali besides English and Hindi. He had a reputation of being fearless officer and one who did not tolerate any nonsense. People either loved him or dreaded him because of his frank and forthright approach.
Did that honest and frank attitude got the gallant general in trouble with top brass in Indian Army?
Singh was an instructor in the Military Academy at Dehra Dun, and held a number of staff appointments in various ranks. During the course of his service in the Indian army, Shaheg Singh fought in every war that India participated in - WWII, 1947 Kashmir invasion, 1962 Indo-China War, 1965 Indo-Pak War, and 1971 Indo-Pak War.
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| Shabeg Singh at Indian Military Academy |
Distinguished Army Career
In 1942, an officers selection team visiting Lahore colleges recruited Singh to the Indian Army officers cadre. After training in the Indian Military Academy, he was commissioned in the
Garhwal Rifles as a Second Lieutenant. Within a few days the Regiment moved to Burma and joined the war against the Japanese. In 1945 when the WWII ended, he was in Malaya with his unit. After partition, when reorganization of the regiments took place, he joined the
Parachute Brigade as a Paratrooper. He was posted in the
1st Para (Special Force) Battalion Parachute Regiment in which he remained till 1959.
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| Shabeg Singh in uniform |
In 1947, he was at Naushera in Jammu and Kashmir fighting against the Afghan tribals supported by Pakistan Army. While at Staff College, in addition to the academic work, he set a record in winning three, point to point and five flat races on horse back a record never equaled. Because of his knowledge of military science and excellent grasp of military operations he was appointed a Brigade Major after the staff course. As Brigade Major of
166 Infantry Brigade- a crack formation, he felt most at home when the formation was out on military exercises.
In 1962 during the India-China war, he was in North East Frontier Agency as a Lt Col in
HQ Four Corps where he was GSO-J (Intelligence).
In the 1965 operations against Pakistan, he was in the Haji Pir Sector in Jammu and Kashmir, commanding a battalion of Gorkha troops. He commanded
3/11 Gorkha Rifles with distinction and was mentioned in dispatches for the capture of important enemy positions on the Haji Pir front on the doorsteps to Lahore.
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| Major General Shabeg Singh, AVSM, PVSM |
In 1971, when the political turmoil in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) started and the Bengalis declared their intentions to separate, the Yahya Khan Govt cracked down on the Bengalis, forcing them to flee to neighboring Indian States. India decided to intervene and in 1971 started the clandestine insurgency operations in East Pakistan. The GOC of Indian Army, Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora specially selected Shabeg Singh, then a brigadier, and made him in-charge of
Delta Sector with lead Quarters at Aggartala. He was given the responsibility of planning, organizing and directing insurgency operations in the whole of Central and East Bangladesh. Under his command were placed all the Bangladesh officers that had deserted from the Pakistan Army. These included Col Osmani, as adviser, Maj Zia-Ur-Rehman and Mohammad Mustaq. General Zia Ur Rehman later became the President of Bangladesh while Mustaq Mohammed became Bangladesh army chief.
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| Shabeg Singh in disguise with Muktibahini Leader |
General Shabeg Singh cut off his hair in 1971 and trained
Mukti Bahini which was highly successful. (This act alone proves his commitment to India) He willingly cut off his hair so that he could move around with Mukti Bahini guerrillas while training them.
Starting from about January to October 1971, the insurgency operations gradually grew to such intensity that by the time war started, the Pakistan army in East Bengal had completely lost their will to resist. The Indian Govt did not want the world to know that the Indian Army was training and directing the Bengali insurgents so all activities were very secret. Shabeg was so thoroughly involved in these clandestine operations that for five months from December 70 to April 71, his family had no news about his whereabouts. They believed he was till in Nagaland and wondered why he did not write because he had always been regular in writing home to his wife. In April 1970, the first letter was received from the Civilian address of a Merchant shop in Aggartala and his name was written as S. Baigh, such was the nature of secrecy maintained of the Army's involvement in the insurgency movement. The wife was quite confused and the family wondered what was going on because the letter was very brief and just said, "don't worry I am ok."
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| Muktibahini with Indian Army |
Meanwhile as the Mukti Bahini got bolder, the Pak Army in the East began to grow demoralized due to the onslaught. It got so widely dispersed in trying to contain the 'Mukti Bahini' that when the Indian Army launched its operations in Nov. 1971 they were able to walk through to Dacca, virtually unopposed. Over one hundred thousand enemy troops with the complete general staff surrendered, leading to the emergence of Bangladesh. The credit of this great achievement was mainly due to the efforts of Shabeg Singh, who spent day and night organizing, motivating and training young Bengali youth to fight for their land. Such was the motivation of a Bengali youth force known as Mukti Bahini and so perfect the direction of their operation that no senior administrative officer felt safe in Bengal. Guerrilla strikes were launched on five star hotels and on ships in Chittagong harbour to show the extent of power which the Mukti Bahini wielded. Strategic bridges were destroyed, factories closed and movement within Bangladesh restricted resulting in a paralysis of the economy.
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| Sikh soldiers of Indian Army in Bangla Rescue Operation |
No doubt it was a cakewalk for the Indian Army when the actual operations were launched. The Indian government promoted Shabeg Singh to the post of Major General and awarded him the
Param Vashist Sewa Medal in recognition of his services. He had earlier been awarded the
Ati Vashist Sewa Medal also.
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| Shabeg Singh at Pakistan Surrender Ceremony |
After the Indo-Pak war, all the Pakistani POWs were put under his jurisdiction and senior General Staff were kept at Jabalpur which was also the HQs of MP, Bihar and Orissa area. Why was a successful field operations leader not given the command of a Division? Here was a field commander with so much war experience-denied command of a combat formation. Why so? Was this done to deny him promotion when his name came up.
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| Painting by a Bangladesh Army officer |
False Charges of Corruption
While he was posted as GOC of the UP Area HQs in whose jurisdiction the Kumaon Regimental Center is placed, it was alleged that the Commander of the Kumaon Military Farm had given a large sum money to the Chief,
Gen TN Raina to meet expenses for his daughter's marriage. When this information was brought to the notice of the General Office Commanding, Shabeg Singh; he told Gen Raina about the findings of the Court of Inquiry and requested the chief to return the amount as the Military farm of the Kumaon Regiment.
The result was that Gen Shabeg was promptly posted out of the this indiscretion and the inquiry hushed up. General TN Raina went on to become the Army Chief and the rest is history.
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| General TN Raina (on left) |
Soon after that the Army instituted a court of inquiry against Gen Shabeg Singh which dragged on for one year till the date of his retirement on May, 1 1976.
The main charge against the General was that he had accepted a plaque costing Rs 2500 as a gift on his positing out of Jabalpur area HQs. It was a tradition for the senior officers to be given an honorary plaque by the regimental officers. However, in the case of Gen Shabeg it became an offense. Some other flimsy charges were also made like allowing his official house land to be used for cultivation purposes and permitting sale of goods purchased from customs in the area HQs Canteen.
The vindictiveness of the Army Chief was made obvious, when
one day prior of Gen Shabeg's retirement, on April 30, 1976 the hero of Mukti Bahini, a highly decorated general with PVSM & AVSM, who had been actively involved in every operation that Indian Army fought since his joining service and who spent the major portion of his life in field areas separated from the cost of his wife's health and the education of his children,
was dismissed from the Army.
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| Major General Shabeg Singh (Retired) |
Major General Shabeg Singh was honorable acquitted of all charges by Supreme Court but it came sadly after his death in the hands of his own army at Operation Blue Star. Such was the treatment meted out to a brave soldier and an outstanding General, a leader of men, whom the Indian government and media labelled as 'disgruntled' and 'frustrated' officer.
The Rebel General
General Shabeg Singh settled in Chandigarh and at around 1978-79 he became active in Akali politics. He firmly believed that he was not guilty but was victimized because of his religion. He had found spiritual succor and a new soldierly cause with Bhindranwale, although now in what he saw as the service of his faith, not his republic. Soon he quit Akali politics and aligned himself with Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the Dharam-Yudh Movement.
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| Shabeg Singh as Rebel Sikh Leader |
Operation Blue Star
On June 1984, Indira Gandhi addressed the nation on Government controlled TV station - Doordarshan and announced the military action against the Sikhs in Golden Temple Complex. More than 70,000 troops had been called to Punjab, tanks, APCs and all. Vijayanta tanks had been lined up along the final approaches of the Golden Temple much before the first shots were exchanged between the army and the militants. The media was cleared out even before the militants, all telephone lines cut and the state put under not curfew but martial law.
Each of the generals involved,
Major General KS Brar, Western Army Command chief of staff
Lieutenant General Ranjit Singh Dyal,
Lt. General K. Sundarji and his chief,
General Arun Shridhar Vaidya (later assassinated by revenge-seeking Sikh gunmen while driving his Maruti 800 after retiring in Pune), later admitted to this miscalculation to some extent. There was a firm belief that Bhindranwale would not fight, he would surrender or try to escape. In fact, one of the generals pointed at some of his black-dungareed commandos, who were getting kitted out and briefed, and said,
“Have you seen these bhoots (devils) of mine? The terrorists have to merely see them and they will surrender with their tails between their legs.”
The first assault by the poor commandos ran into trouble. This set of audacious generals had overlooked the fact that they weren’t up against some armed rebels but a small army of faithfuls led by someone just like them.
In fact, a fellow general as bright, if not brighter, than all of them. Former Major General Shabeg Singh had served with each one of those serving. He had personally trained ans supervised the Sikh defenses at the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar.
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| Young Sikh Militants in Golden Temple Complex |
Indian army had entered the Golden Temple on the martyrdom day of the Fifth Guru who created Golden Temple. Being an Army General he must have been very well aware of the odd against him. He had less than 200 young Khalsa youth to help him. Though these were no ordinary youth. They were highly motivated, dedicated to the cause and each one resolved to fight to the last when the time came Yet he knew that with this small band, and hardly any resources with which to resist the might of the Indian Army, he might surely be overwhelmed.
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| Indian Army at Golden temple |
On June 3 at 9:30 a.m. Punjab, Amritsar was sealed off and no movement of people allowed into the Golden Temple or out of it. At 8:30 a.m. At Harmandir Sahib, thousands of pilgrims who had come for the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev ji, could not leave and were trapped, Many thousands would lose their lives in the massacre that was about to be unleashed by the divisive forces.
Shabeg wasn’t foolhardy enough to think he would win. His tactic was to optimize his resources, snipers behind any hiding place, every room along the Parikrama manned by a gunman or two so any probing patrols would be cut down, others sprinting up and down the staircases linking just the two floors of the buildings and their parapets. His idea was to inflict as many casualties as possible and thereby delay the inevitable so that the Sikhs from the villages had enough time to organize mobs to converge on Amritsar and make further army operations impossible, unless Indira Gandhi was willing to inflict scores of Jallianwala Baghs in Punjab. It was a good approach that succeeded tactically.
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| Sikh defense positions |
There were nearly 3,000 infantry troops pinned down, hundreds wounded, more than a hundred bodies. This time of the year, the sun comes out early, and every soldier still alive — all the thousands of them — would be a sitting target for snipers. Then, the generals, who had misread and miscalculated, panicked at the dawn and called for heavy artillery, along with Vijayanta tanks that blazed with their main guns. The brutal destruction of the Akal Takht building was now launched in earnest.
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| Indian Army Top Brass after Operation Blue Star |
Major General Shahbeg Singh was injured on Day 1 by an Indian Army sniper shot aimed directly at him as he came out of Golden Temple after morning prayers. He survived and supervised the Sikh defenses, finally attaining martyrdom along with Sikh Militants. His body was found in the basement of the Akal Takht on June 6, 1984 along with that of Bhai Amrik Singh.
End of a Gallant Officer
The main reason the operation was so costly in casualties, and in damage, was General Shabeg Singh's extremely skillful planning of the defenses. Just how good was he? Let's not go by hearsay, though even that makes him sound superhuman. Wading through the rubble at the Akal Takht a couple of days after the fighting,
Indian express journalist Shekhar Gupta found a copy of a book, a thin memoir written by a Pakistani brigadier who was taken PoW in Bangladesh. It had been presented by an officer of the BSF’s intelligence branch, who had “sourced” it from across the border. It had a warm and respectful note to Shabeg Singh from his BSF fan, saying how happy he was to see high praise for the (now rebel) general from the Pakistani brigadier and what a privilege it was to present the book to him. Since it was being thrown in the rubble, Gupta picked it up and kept it.
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Aftermath of Opertion Blue Star
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General Brar admitted there had been "some intelligence failure". He went on to explain "The strength and fighting power of the militants were underestimated. We never knew the Akal Takht had such an elaborate defense system. It had been fortified from the basement upwards."
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| Indian Army Officers posing next to Shabeg Singh's Dead Body |
The same soldiers and officers he had commanded in various gallantry actions, now stood over his dead body and posed for pictures shamelessly.
It is very good blog. You have written some great stuff. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant piece. It's a sad fact that much of the truth about the Khalistan movement has been hushed up.
ReplyDeleteWell, it hurts to see such a treatment given out to our brave soldier. But he was also acquitted with full honour by the honorable Supreme Court of India.
ReplyDeleteIf you think that it was shameful on the part of Indian soldiers to launch operation against their own ex-general, didn't he do the same thing?
Well, plz read the above article it is clearly mentioned that Indian army attacked Golden temple and he was just defending the most religious place for Sikhs, he himself being a Sikh .He never went to Army's Headquarters and launched the operation against them.
DeleteHe never did the same thing.
I would say it is the duty of every Man to stand up for what he believes in. And it is right for a Man to believe in that his place of worship is sacrosanct. And then to make matters worse, he was a man wronged. It was a terrible mistake on our part as Indians that we forced a patriot into such a situation, and then compounded it by letting the Govt send the military into the Golden Temple with permission to use tanks.
DeleteWhy no body is discussing about General Raiana, he used his position to intimidate his junious and misused the regiments fund for his daughter.
DeleteThis also is an act of terrorism.
What he did was after the decision of indian army...also its shameful for the army to not give him respect when he died
Deletewhat abt the atrocities committed against soldiers during operation.......Subedar ravi was blown alive by terrorists and many such incidents......even army doctors were captured and killed.......Now Shahbeg singh being the rebel commander wasn't it was his duty to stop such massacres if his ex comrades instead of shamelessly approving and ordering it......What was done against him was wrong and Indira gandhi paid the prize for it but 2 wrong doesn't make a right
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. its understandable that things sometimes get out of hand in a war but both sides should have not indulged in inhumane atrocities. By the way, Shabeg singh was targeted by Indian army snipers on the day one of Operation Blue star and died earlier. His contribution was the defense fortification of the campus and training but he was not not able to participate or control the events. It was a unfortunate incident in the history of Indian Army and lesson learned should be to prevent the army being used for political purposes by those in power.
DeletePrior to the takeover, the instances of tortures(&rapes) of fellow sikhs and extortion rackets being run parallel is well known. The craniums/bones which were unearthed from holy premises does prove unholy bondage..... I remember having read in newspapers that truck was smashed on picket killing 8/9 officers by blindend sikhh uth.Trucks used to ferry arms ammo underneath donation produces into gurudwaras. Even unarmed DIG Punjab was shot dead on his back on steps of golden temple while leaving, his bodyguard and driver left in ambassador and deadbody remained for 2hours.ISI communication was established and direct orders were taken from akkaas. Pl. Don't suppress truth.
DeleteBut then army also ran a malignancy campaign to plant corposes, plant bombs and have innocents killed blaming terrorists. I am not denying Bhindarawale and team did not use torture against enemies but it is also true that govt did everything in their power to paint a very dirty picture of separatists.
DeleteIf we are trying to find out culprits its Indira (for perusing her political ambitions through Bindranwala) and Mr Bindranwala (for putting religion and creed before national interest). Mr Shabeg singh though was a military veteran was no more than a pawn in this episode. At at the end as always to the common people who suffered. As civilized humans we show some respect to life first.
ReplyDeleteGood point but why stop here ... is Hamaam me in sarey nagey hain.
Delete1) Akali leaders for startling Dharam Yudh nor have and then losing control
2) Rabid anti-Sikh propaganda by Lala Jagatnarain and Punjab Kesari
3) Sikh leadership in Congress who fed wrong information to Indira - Buta Singh
4) Harbans Rai Khanna who said “Kachh Kara Kirpan, inko bhejo Pakistan
5) Punjab Police who terrorized conman man in Punjab
6) BJP leaders who called Indiana “Durga” for blue star operation
7) Indian secret service who disguised as Sikh militant to defame the movement
8) Jagjit Singh Chauhan who started Khalistan with no concept
9) Pakistani ISI agents who disguised as Sikhs and created more confusion and never really helped the Sikhs
10) Bhajanlal who created more trouble in Haryana
11) Indian media and journalists who towed government line in casting all Sikhs as separatists with false propaganda
12) Sikhs from diaspora who made irresponsible comments and over reacted as schemed by Vongress
13) common man who just stood deaf dumb and disabled and watched the events take over
... the list goes on and on.
Wah Kya mast vichar likhey hain
DeleteArv Singh, brilliantly written. It takes courage to call a spade a spade.
DeleteInspiring article, very well written. Thank you Arv Singh. What a courageous, valiant warrior. A true soldier of Akal Purkh. Parnaam Shaheeda nu.
ReplyDelete. A gross injustice has been done to the legacy of this brave, distinguished and talented military commander of Indian Army.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharma Sahib nice to hear ur words
DeleteWell done Indian Army. Traitor General Shabeg deserved the death of Dog which he got. He was leading man who trained Muktibehni, so he got what he did negative. What you sow so shall you reap.
ReplyDeleteMajor General Shabeg Singh attained martyrdom in a battle like a true warrior. His martyrdom was at Harmander Sahib, the sacred of all religious places. Shabeg Singh trained Bangla Muktibahini and taught them to free their land and hunt Pakistani occupiers. Over 93,000 Pakistani Army surrendered with their tails in their ass cheeks ... must be hurting you, still?
DeleteIt is not the question of hurting and not hurting. I just said what Indians themselves believe and say that Shabeg was traitor and died like dog. Secondly about Sikhs, they are always declared most thick headed and nerd people in the world. In 1947, Muslims got Pakistan, Hindus got India or Hindstan. You were and you are and will remain stray dogs. Did you get khalistan. What happened with sikhs in Golden Temple. What happened to Sikhs after killing of Indira Gandhi. What is now happening with Kartarpur Corridor. You will keep licking the Indians on all parts because you have no option. It is not one Shabeg who was killed, there are countless Sikhs killed like dogs in India. Stay happy and cheer up.
DeleteI m amazed there are people like u as well.... shabeg singh was falsly convicted of 2500....is he being the best general would take 2500....
DeleteU are so disrespect ful
What sikhs have done for india no other can do.....
Keep thinking...u surely have miscalculated like the indian army
I respect indian army...and what they did was ok..but what he was doing was also okk...they should respect him
I m amazed there are people like u as well.... shabeg singh was falsly convicted of 2500....is he being the best general would take 2500....
DeleteU are so disrespect ful
What sikhs have done for india no other can do.....
Keep thinking...u surely have miscalculated like the indian army
I respect indian army...and what they did was ok..but what he was doing was also okk...they should respect him
I understand your feelings, tumhaari keh ke li Mjr General ne. Bangladesh se tumhein west pakistan khaded diya. In a few days Indian Army will give you the same treatment in current Pak as well..
DeleteTum Jalo aur Jalo..
He was a Patriot and fought for the country, Some political / shrewed kashmiri betrayed him. He took solace in Religion and fought for his religion as a brave soldier. Does not see him as teh WRONG one but the one who was WRONGED.
Why should I have any feeling for him? I have no feelings but just expressed the opinion on the events which took place in past and now part of history. Shabeg was killed like dog as most Sikhs were killed in Golden Temple. Later, Sikhs were butchered after the killing of Indra Gandhi. Now Modi will sort all Sikhs again. Actually Sikhs are shameless community and with low grey matter. As far as Indian Army is concerned, it is a rouge army killed on people with tanks and artillery guns. Quite expected out of non professional army. Nothing to feel bad, it is truth and truth is painful. Stay happy.
DeleteSana Ullah, keep your bloody mouth shut
DeleteBhinderwale desecrated Akal Takht and not the Indian army.. every true sikh knows this.
ReplyDeleteShabeg Singh is Sikh warrior in the end he fought battle against injustice what Guru taught he followed.
ReplyDeleteYour an Indo Aryan with an Arab's name! Do you know the difference between a Sikh and a Pakistani? One of these people took the religion, names and culture of their oppressors. One of these people are Sikhs!
ReplyDeleteAll religions are good whether Sikhism,Hinduism, Islam or Christianity.
ReplyDeleteOne must remember past incidents to ensure that such blunders are not repeated. Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.
Romans crucified Jesus, Sikh gurus were killed by Mughals,Muslim
invaders like Taimur killed Hindus and Paris had to flee from Iran. Such incidents in history are countless. Those people who committed crimes, blunders and mistakes in past and those who suffered are no more.
Is it advisable to carry the hate to the next generation and make life of our children miserable by feeding them with hated and anger for other religions?
Many unseen common enemies like Corona will come and become enemy of human kind.
We need to live happily, content and with forgiveness in our heart for those who faltered in past and also those who suffered.
Blame game will never end. Let us all use our energies and intelligence in well being of all on this planet. Let us spread love and peace for betterment of our children and ensuing generations.
Every author is biased and tries to drive home his point by justifying good or bad deeds of his country ,caste ,religion or community.
Arguments will never end but we definitely will. Think positive, think creative and enjoy this beautiful life given by almighty.
Be happy. Godbless you all.
No comment
ReplyDeleteGreat Article that sums up the situation, events and results in a very fair, balanced and unbiased analysis.
ReplyDeleteGen Shabeg Singh belonged to a family of 18th century Sikh Martyrs. He was a descendant of Bhai Mehtab Singh who along with Bhai Sukha Singh had beheaded Massa Ranger in premises of Harimandir Sahib, while desecrating the holy place with dancing girls in 1740 during the Ahmed Shah Abdali rule.
Coming from such high lineage, he did the right thing to lay down his life defending the holiest place of his faith, even though it meant fighting against the very organization (Indian Army) that gave him his career, but also the same organization that wronged him in the end.
He was a great military strategist, a brave soul & a faithful Sikh.
I salute him!
Indian Army is a professional one, but controlled by political crooks.
ReplyDeleteWell June 1984 ia a dark month for Indian history which was completely unavoidable.it was Mrs Gandhis greed for power and her revenge ful nature.If it was all about Bhindrawala they should have arrested him in Bombay weeks before the operation Blue star when Indian army was planning for the operation.Even the DC of Amritsar oppose this and offered the government that he will Bring Bhindrawala on the Table and the Indian government transfers him before midnight because he was delaying the operation. VISIT Golden Temple and then ask your self do you really need tanks for capture one person. Who always publically said on the stages that he is ready to talk with Mrs Gandhi.
ReplyDeleteWhy would an astute, experienced veteran military general advice his fighters to fight from a static position and/or not advice their leader (Bhindranwale) to leave to live to fight another day? Could it be that Shabeg Singh was more than he today seems? Did his loyalties lay elsewhere and his handlers finished him off to tie up a loose end?
ReplyDeleteGreat and informative read.
ReplyDeleteMe being from south of India didn't knew much abt this. I came across ur blog while reading up on OP Bluestar. I did saw an interview of Lt. Gen Prakash Katoch of 1SF who was full of praise for the Major General. I am someone who has profound respect for our armed forces, it's heartbreaking to read that a patriot and a military hero was wronged this way. I do not agree with the path he chose to redeem his name but I fully understand his viewpoint and completely sympathise with him. I'm glad that SC did cleared his name even though after his death. All I can wish for now is that both Sikhs and Hindus can patch up the differences and learn from the past mistakes.
There are countless men and women who sacrificed their lives for a cause. What are we doing,??😆
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article.
ReplyDeleteMajor General Shabeg Singh lived a life worth making a few movies on.
Operation Bluestar was the manifestation of the pain he must have experienced due to the bias and malaise that was directed to him by his own.
Sana maybe hindu or muslim but definitely has deep underlying jealousy and hatred towards the Sikh community. Sana your fake name doesn't fool anyone. Dont worry..there are plenty more shere like Bhindranwale you can't kill us all. So keep dreaming lol. One sikh can go to any country and make it their home...we don't need a whole country to back us up or to provide us with anything! Sikhs are self sufficient, confident and strong and that's what vile weak creatures like you resent. You are confident in large numbers only and hide behind your oppressive countries! I will carry on educating the west for you lol
ReplyDeleteReally a commendable job done by blogger.
ReplyDeleteGovernment should not entered at the Golden Temple and Bhindranwala should not made his regiment in this holy shrine. Mistakes have been made by both sides.
Dear Mr Arv Singh,
ReplyDeleteYou have definitely written a good blog! There is no doubt in any military professional's mind that Maj Gen Shahbeg Singh was not an excellent military leader. But you have laid bare your bias, while trying to give Gen Shahbeg the halo of a just Sikh martyr. Please answer as to how do you justify:
1. Making defaming allegations against Gen TN Raina, which have not been corroborated?
2. Gen Shahbeg definitely did some major financial wrongdoing, for which he was investigated, tried and punished. He was a frustrated man at not having been promoted. But in the Army system, there are many competent people who do not get promoted either due to lack of vacancies, or due to some major 'character flaw(s)' or due to the prejudices of one's superiors. This is a minefield one has to cross! By and far in 8 out of 10 cases, justice gets done, and there is no better system yet to be found. Being overlooked for promotions at some stage or other has to be gracefully accepted.
3. How can you say that Gen Shahbeg was brought down by a sniper before the assault on the Temple complex? Gen Shahbeg was no fool to expose himself to certain death, when there was no need for it. He was in fact actively supervising the defensive measures.
4. The degree of assault force used was proportionately increased to overcome the resistance encountered. The military had to successfully complete the task assigned within the acceptable time-frame.
5. Who can say that India is a country not governed by democratic, secular and non-discriminatory principles, which have stood the test of time? The Sikhs have progressed and become more prosperous than most other communities except for the miniscule Parsi community. The martial Sikh community have also been traditionally the sword-arm of India, resisting foreign invasions and depredations. The Pakistani military used the cunning and ambitious rustic that Bhindranwale was, and his foolish supporters to wage a War against the Indian State. Why don't you have a look at the identities of the people killed in Punjab for the two years preceding this military assault on the fortified temple complex? If there was ro be "Khalistan" to be created, then it should be out of territories liberated from Pakistan, and should include the Holy Nankana Sahib in Kartarpur, the fertile lands allotted by the British in the Canal Colonies to those who had served with distinction in the British Indian Army, and ofcourse the capital city of Maharajah Ranjit Singh's Empire! This was what was denied to Master Tara Singh at the time of Partition, by the British.
You are requested to make the contents of your otherwise eminently readable blog more balanced, authentic and convincing please.