In the first of its kind of death, a man died in Delhi due to suffocation caused by improperly eating momos. A 50-year-old man, who was in a drunken state, was brought dead to AIIMS from south Delhi. Police investigations revealed that he suddenly fell to the ground while he was having food at eateries.
The popular junk food was identified as the reason for death when the post-mortem report of the deceased person came up. An examination of the CT scan during the postmortem revealed that something was stuck at the beginning of his upper trachea or windpipe. From this, the doctors concluded that his death was due to suffocation after consuming momos. The size of the momos that stuck in his throat was 5×3 cm.
The report has been published in the latest edition of the Journal of Forensic Imaging. According to a report by Mint, the head of the forensic department of AIIMS, Dr Sudhir Gupta said, “These findings are very important for medicolegal opinion but could be only done by digital coaxial tomography (CT scan). It can’t be detected in traditional visual postmortem examination.”
Experts at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, have cautioned to be careful while eating food after a rare case of a person dying due to suffocation after having momos came to light. Forensic experts from AIIMS said, “Momos are popular street food. Its surface is slippery and soft, so swallowing it without chewing properly can even lead to suffocation or death of the person.”
Choking is a medical term for an obstruction in the airway that occurs between the pharynx and the bifurcation of the trachea. When a person eats anything that is too large to enter the oesophagus, and when it accidentally moves into the trachea, it can remain in the posterior hypopharynx (the lower part of the tube that leads to the oesophagus and trachea). As a result, the respiratory tract is blocked and it causes suffocation.
Dr Abhishek Yadav, additional professor of the forensic department, AIIMS, said, “Steamy momos are one of the favourite street foods in Delhi. The surface of the momos is slippery and soft, which can be fatal if swallowed without being chewed properly. In this case, the cause of death was neurogenic cardiac arrest, which was caused by suffocation after consuming momos.”
He added, “Momos are 5×3 cm in size, which is very large and people should be aware of eating this kind of food. Whenever such incidents occur, attendees are required to immediately perform the Heimlich manoeuvre – a first-aid procedure in which a sudden sharp pressure is applied to the abdomen between the navel and the ribs to remove blockages in a person’s trachea. This is done until this food comes out of the mouth.”
‘Comedian’ Vir Das who is infamous for his anti-India propaganda through his shows on tours abroad is finding it difficult to fix a spot for his show in Gujarat. The people of Gujarat have launched protests against the controversial stage comedian and his shows on the Gujarat tour are getting cancelled one after the other.
His shows were organised in four cities of the state including Vapi. The ABVP and other Hindu organisations strongly opposed these shows, leading to cancellations of some of the shows even as demands for cancellations of others have started appearing.
Vir Das’s show scheduled for 15th June 2022 in Vapi has been canceled. Even in Vadodara, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has asked to cancel the show to be held on June 17. On the other hand, in Surat too, the ABVP has warned of taking strict action against anti-national activities at the event.
In Vadodara, the ABVP submitted a memorandum to the collector, municipal commissioner, and the commissioner of police demanding the cancellation of comedian Vir Das’ show on June 17. If the show is not canceled, ABVP will hold fierce protests in Vadodara, they said.
Speaking exclusively to OpIndia in this regard, ABVP Vadodara city in-charge Vraj Bhatt said, “Vir Das has made anti-India remarks in his shows in the past. Now, his show is being organized in Vadodara. Making derogatory comments on Hindu temples and speaking against India in the name of comedy to get cheap publicity is not welcome here. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has demanded that the show be cancelled. We have submitted a memorandum to the collector, police commissioner, and municipal commissioner in this regard. If this show is not cancelled, then we will take the path of protests and agitation.”
According to the Vadodara police sources, the matter has been further investigated and the organisers are also being contacted after the request for its cancellation was submitted by the ABVP. If any such program hurting the sentiments of the people is organised in the city, the police will take necessary steps in order to prohibit this program, considering the communal tension already prevailing in the country.
VHP members in Vapi submitted a memorandum to the officials. Image Source: OpIndia sources.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad members submitted a similar memorandum to Vapi administration officials following which the Vir Das show was cancelled. On Wednesday 15th June 2022, VHP submitted a memorandum to the Valsad district collector to cancel the comedian’s program planned to be held in Vapi. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanded the cancellation of the show, saying that the comedian’s program, which may include anti-national remarks and jokes about deities, could spoil the harmony not only in Vapi but in the Valsad district as well.
Vir Das’s Vapi show has been called off after intervention by the VHP. Speaking to OpIndia, the management of the hall in Vapi where the event was scheduled to be held has also confirmed the same.
In Surat, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad members have raised their voices against the Vir Das show. Speaking to OpIndia, ABVP leader Himalayasinh Zala said, “If anti-Hindu or anti-India activities are found happening in any way in the program, the ABVP, as well as other Hindu organizations, will take legal action and the insult to the country will not be tolerated. In Surat, a program of Vir Das has been organized on 16th June.”
However, after the Vapi show scheduled for 15th June was cancelled, Vir Das tweeted to inform his followers that he has probably caught the Covid infection and therefore he will not be doing shows in Gujarat anytime soon. He wrote, “Gujarat. Woke up showing symptoms, now going to get RTPCR tested. The team is currently working on new dates for Gujarat in a few weeks whenever the venues are available. Your tickets will be refunded. Sorry, Gujarat! I hope you’ll come back on the new dates.”
Gujarat. Woke up showing symptoms, now going to get RTPCR tested. Team is currently working on new dates for the Gujarat in a few weeks whenever the venues are available. Your tickets will be refunded. Sorry Gujarat! I hope you’ll come back on the new dates. pic.twitter.com/YKgvnfA3en
It should be noted that comedian Vir Das was embroiled in a controversy in November 2021, when, during a show in the US, he made derogatory comments against India and against Hindus. He had said, “I come from an India where women are worshipped in the morning and gang-raped at night.” He had also mocked the saffron colour and called the Hindus intolerant.
Rana Daggubati became a household name all over India with his role of Bhalladeva in SS Rajammouli’s Bahubali 1 and Bahubali 2. Rana is a fine actor and has done many movies before Bahubali gave him a pan-Indian identity. Rana’s upcoming movie is named ‘Virata Parvam’, scheduled to release on June 17. The movie also has Sai Pallavi, Nandita Das, and Priyamani in other roles.
The trailer of the movie shows that Rana plays the role of the central character Ravanna, a Naxal leader while Sai Pallavi plays a besotted starry-eyed village lass who falls in love with Ravanna’s writings and eventually with Ravanna himself, then becomes a Naxal to join him.
Now, there is nothing wrong is telling stories of Naxals, but any aware Indian knows how much the violence, bloodshed and depravity the movement has caused. Naxal apologists often try to portray the movement as a righteous war for justice and equality, something that is reverberating with very dramatic music and visuals in the Virata Parvam trailer, but they pretend to forget that Naxal terrorists have also exploited, killed and raped tribals all these years, the very people whose rights they have been claiming to protect.
Sai Pallavi in a still from Virata Parvam trailer
Naxals reject the idea of the government bringing roads, healthcare, jobs, schools and other facilities to people living in the hinterlands. They want the people living in those areas to perpetually live in the darkness of superstitions, diseases and anarchy, deprived of the opportunities that a common Indian gets.
Leftist political parties, which are the apologists and ‘city-branch’ of the Naxal terrorists operating in the hinterlands, oppose every single infrastructure project, announce support for China and try to recruit young people into the anarchist movements where lives are lost in despair and depravity.
Whatever the political equations of earlier decades, the reality is that Naxals are terrorists, home-grown terrorists who work against the Indian nation, inspired and aided by foreign powers.
So why are mainstream Tollywood stars with millions of dedicated fan following so hell-bent on romanticising a dead, decomposed ideology that has brought nothing but despair and destruction to every single country that experimented with it? Leftists have killed more people than any other political power in modern times, more people than even Islamic terrorists, and nuclear weapons have killed. Leftist ideologies invariably bring dictators to power in country after country, who then go on committing genocides and keep their own subjects inside walls. Be it Cambodia, North Korea, South America, China or Soviet Russia, communist Leftist ideologies have always, always brought doom and mass murder.
So why is this failed, rejected, discarded ideology that has only deaths and depravity to show for being romanticised by mainstream moviemakers? Why?
Ram Charan and Megastar Chiranjeevi’s recent movie Acharya is another Naxal-worshiping drivel
While most of India is rejoicing and celebrating the super energising, visually extravagant RRR by Rajamouli where Telugu superstar Ram Charan, the son of Megastar Chiranjeevi plays the role inspired by freedom fighter Alluri Sitharamaraju, Ram Charan has stared in another movie Acharya, where his father Chiranjeevi plays the lead role.
Acharya is nothing but Naxal-worshiping drivel packaged as a movie that seems rich with Indic, Hindu visuals. The movie hides the Naxal ideology behind the curtain of Hindu traditional visuals and tries to portray that it is only the Naxals who protect the traditional Ayurvedic practices and rural villages that are rich in biodiversity and proudly follow their Hindu practices.
The movie even goes to the realm of employing visual effects where the Naxal leader, who is defined as a hero who kills the ‘evil’ police and paramilitary forces, is shown ‘chosen’ by the divine powers of Maa Durga who protects the ancient Ayurveda practitioners of the village depicted in the movie.
Storytelling is important, storytelling is beautiful. But is it necessary to tell fake stories that fan a fake narrative and nudge a vulnerable population group towards an ideology that brings nothing but death and despair?
Stories need to, deserve to be told. Agreed. But who made the rule that storytellers have to be stupid? Movies that focus on the angry young man working against the system have always been popular. Take Pushpa, KGF, or even a number of Hollywood hits, but peddling a politics that has kept whole regions of India unsafe and in poverty for decades? Seriously? What exactly are superstars like Rana Daggubati, Ram Charan and Chiranjeevi trying to achieve by it?
On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration ordered the suspension of academic activities at schools run by the Falah-e-Aam trust (FAT), an offshoot of the outlawed Islamic organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), and directed education department officials to shut all the schools within 15 days. The order further directed officials to get the students enrolled in nearby government institutions.
Educational institutions run by Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), an affiliate of the banned Jamat-e-Islami org, to be sealed within 15 days.
All students studying in such institutions will enroll in nearby govt schools. No new admission to be taken & registrations to be done: J&K Govt pic.twitter.com/oNHgXNxxIh
This followed a probe by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police, which revealed major illegalities, open fraud, and widespread encroachment of government lands by FAT. The FAT was created in 1972 and is linked with the Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamic organisation that was outlawed in February 2019, prompting the arrest, imprisonment, summons, and interrogation of hundreds of its major members, activists, and sympathisers.
According to reports, the SIA discovered that all FAT schools, totalling over 300, were built on fraudulently obtained government and community land, where land was occupied through coercion, at gunpoint, and collusion with revenue officials who committed fraud and forgery by deliberately distorting entities in revenue documents.
All academic activities in the schools operated by the ‘Falah-e-Aam’ in J&K must cease immediately, according to the recent directive issued by BK Singh, Principal Secretary to the Government, School Education Department. The order reads, “All students studying in these banned institutions shall admit themselves to nearby government schools for the current academic year, 2021-2022. All CEOs /principals/ZEOs shall facilitate the admission of these students. No new admission shall be taken in these banned FAT institutions and no further registration of these institutions shall be done.”
FAT was banned in 1990
FAT was outlawed by the then government in 1990 when around 11,000 children were enrolled in schools administered by this trust. Following the prohibition, the bulk of these pupils and teachers were integrated into state-run schools. Following the prohibition, the FAT turned over the operation of the bulk of its schools to Resident Welfare Associations and village committees, which have grown to roughly 330 schools with approximately 75,000 pupils and over 5,000 teachers over the years. FAT now controls less than a dozen schools in the region.
The J&K government has resorted to the prohibition order issued in May 1990, as well as two judicial remarks made by the High Court in May 2005 and December 2021, claiming that the FAT was functioning illegally after the ban under the cover of the High Court judgement. According to the administration, they advised the J&K Board of School Education in 2019 that pupils from FAT-run schools should submit their registration and examination forms through government schools in the locality.
The chairman of the Falah-e-Aam Trust said in a statement released in response to the government order that the ban was ‘unjustified,’ explaining that the trust isn’t associated with Jamaat e Islami and is only operating seven schools that are still associated with it after the government banned it in 1990.
Ban on Jamaat-e-Islami
Following the heinous terror assault in Pulwama, the union government banned Jamaat-e-Islami on February 28, 2019. The government designated Jammat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir, an “unlawful organisation” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, in a notification published in the Indian Gazette.
JeI was in contact with militant groups and was promoting extremist activities and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other areas of the nation, according to the order. It claimed that the JeI backed calls for Kashmir’s secession from India, and supported terrorist and separatist organisations. Anti-national and subversive activities were also carried out by the group.
On the intervening night of June 14 and June 15, some anti-social elements wrote slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ on the walls near Shaktipeeth Shri Devi Talab Mandir in Jalandhar. The Police were informed about the incident in the morning, after which a Police party reached the spot and initiated an investigation into the matter.
The slogans have been painted over with spray paint, the police said. The investigating officers are checking CCTV footage from cameras nearby to identify the miscreants.
Punjab: Pro-Khalistan slogans seen scrawled on walls near Jalandhar Shakti Peeth, Devi Talab Mandir in Jalandhar
Police say, “We’re checking CCTV footage to find out who wrote the slogans
Delhi CM-AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal & CM Bhagwant Mann to visit Jalandhar today pic.twitter.com/KogySCs57u
Notably, similar slogans were spotted near an educational institution on Lodawli Road in Jalandhar. Those slogans were also covered using spray paint by the Police. As per reports, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann are scheduled to visit Jalandhar to flag off Volvo buses from Jalandhar to Delhi Airport. Amidst VIP visits to the city, the Police are on high alert after finding such slogans on walls close to an important Shaktipeeth.
Banned terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice took responsibility for writing slogans on the walls near the temple. In an audio message released by SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, he said, “On June 15, before Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann’s visit to Jalandhar, slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ were written in Hindu dominating area near Devi Talab Mandir.”
He added, “I am asking a question to Hindus living in Punjab. Are you in favour of the Khalistan referendum or not? Because in previous times, Khalistan Referendum slogans used to come in the form of bullets. SFJ has converted bullets to slogans and votes. Support Khalistan Referendum.”
There have been multiple attempts to create Law and Order situation in Punjab by Khalistani elements. Earlier, similar slogans were found outside the house of session judges in Faridkot. On June 13, similar reports came from Ferozpur, where slogans of Khalistan Zindabad, Sikhs For Justice Zindabad, and SFJ January 26 2023, were written outside the Divisional Railway Manager’s office.
On Wednesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a complaint against Congress leader Sheikh Hussain at the Gittikhadan Police Station for using derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Nagpur. The BJP leaders have sought strict action against Hussain and also demanded his arrest within 48 hours, failing which they will launch an intense agitation.
According to the reports, Congress leader Sheikh Hussain and former city president participated in a protest on June 13 and used derogatory language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Jaise Kutte ki maut hoti hai vaise Narendra Modi ki maut hogi (Modi will die a dog’s death)”, he said while demonstrating outside the ED office in Nagpur to protest against the interrogation of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi by the central probe agency.
In a protest outside ED office in Nagpur, Congress leader and Former City President Sheikh Hussain threatened PM Modi by saying – “Narendra Modi will die a dog’s death”.
— Maha Vinash Aghadi ᴾᵃʳᵒᵈʸ (@MVAGovt) June 15, 2022
Several Congress leaders and workers from the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra staged a protest on Monday and criticized PM Modi and the ED for questioning Congress’s Rahul Gandhi in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the National Herald newspaper. The Nagpur Police in response to the aggressive protest detained state ministers Nitin Raut and Vijay Waddetiwar along with other Congress workers.
BJP leaders who filed the complaint on June 15 stated that Congress leader Hussain has no right to speak against PM Modi and that by using foul words for the Prime Minister, Hussain stooped to a low level. The delegation was led by Chandrashekhar Bawankule, State General Secretary and MLC; Pravin Datke, City BJP President and MLC; Krishna Khopde, MLA; Sameer Meghe, MLA; Vikas Kumbhare, Mohan Mate, MLA; Sudhakar Deshmukh, Anil Sole, Dr. Milind Mane
“Mahavikas Aaghadi is pressurizing Police not to register a complaint. If the police fail to take action against Hussain in the next two days we will knock on the doors of court and agitate”, BJP’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule was quoted.
To note, the Congress party has launched massive protests in various parts of Maharashtra to oppose ED’s action against Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. Earlier, protests were staged outside the ED office in Mumbai. Also, in south Mumbai, state Congress chief Nana Patole, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, and Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap led a protest march from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to the ED office. They alleged that the Central government was trying to silence the opposition by sending ED notices in fake cases.
In Nagpur, the protesting Congress leaders and workers marched to the ED’s office in the Seminary Hills, leading to the detention of state ministers Nitin Raut and Vijay Waddetiwar. The Congress leaders stated that such protests would continue till the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and that Congress will never be intimidated by such actions.
Dharma Productions dropped the official trailer of Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Mouni Roy starrer Brahmastra which is set to be released on 9th September 2022.
The film stars Ranbir Kapoor in the role of Shiva, who does not get affected by fire. In first glance, it appears like a cross between Harry Potter (with Amitabh Bachchan playing role inspired from Dumbledore?) and Marvel movies with a hint of Naagin sprinkled for desi flavour. As soon as the trailer was dropped, netizens took to social media to make memes over the trailer which hasn’t really excited the viewers as such.
Sushant Singh Rajput fans were upset the trailer was dropped a day after second death anniversary of the actor who passed away under mysterious circumstances in 2020.
They released Naagin aka Brahmastra Trailer right after
Some even said how it was a mix of all things 90s.
ROFLMAO watching the #BrahmastraTrailer. Tacky AF! Integrity goes for a toss when your motivations are corrupt, and you know money returns easy by selling rights. #Bollywood!#Brahmastra is a mix of Shaktimaan, Captain Planet, Power Rangers, Nagin, Aabra ka Daabra, Jaani Dushman.
The story and screenplay of Brahmastra is by filmmaker Ayan Mukerji. It is produced under Karan Johar’s Dharma Production, Prime Focus and Starlight Pictures in association with Star Studios. Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna Akkineni are playing lead roles in the film slated to release on 9th September 2022. It is part one of the planned trilogy of a fictional universe called ‘Astraverse’.
As per reports, the terrorists who killed school teacher Rajni Bala recently, have been trapped by the security forces in an encounter in the Kulgam region in Jammu & Kashmir. Rajni Bala was a school teacher working at a High School in the Gopalpora area, outside which some Islamic terrorists shot at her on 31 May.
In the earlier hours of Wednesday, two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in an encounter in Jammu & Kashmir’s Shopian’s Kanjiular area, according to the Kashmir Zone Police. One of the terrorists killed has been identified as Jan Mohd Lone of Shopian, according to Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar.
In addition to past terror incidents, Jan Mohd Lone was involved in the recent killing of Vijay Kumar, a bank manager, on June 2 in the Kulgam district. The encounter started at 12:50 AM on Wednesday. It was jointly conducted by the J&K Police and security forces.
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) June 14, 2022
Earlier on Monday, two terrorists were neutralised in a confrontation in Srinagar’s Bemina area. These terrorists were also affiliated with the terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The altercation also resulted in minor injuries to one police officer.
Two #terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT neutralised by Srinagar Police in a swift #encounter in Bemina area of #Srinagar. One policeman also received minor injury: IGP Kashmir@JmuKmrPolice
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) June 13, 2022
Islamic terrorists have executed several civilians in recent targeted attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Several Kashmiri Hindus, including those recruited under the PM Package, have been attacked by terrorists in the valley in recent months. The Kashmiri Hindus are being threatened with the exodus from the valley by creating a fearful environment for them.
On Wednesday, renowned television actor Karanvir Bohra was booked on allegations of duping a 40-year-old woman for Rs 1.99 crores. He, along with 5 other people had allegedly borrowed the money from the lady promising to return it at 2.5% interest. The woman told the Police that Bohra had returned only Rs 1 crore, duping her of the balance amount and the interest.
According to the reports, the case against six accused including actor Manoj Bohra alias Karanvir Bohra has been registered at the Oshiwara Police Station in Mumbai. The victim woman in the complaint also mentioned that Bohra and his wife Tajinder Sidhu had threatened to shoot her when she asked for her money to be returned.
The woman also claimed that when she asked for the amount, Bohra & his wife Tajinder Sidhu did not respond properly & threatened to shoot her. Police have started an investigation & will soon record their statements: Oshiwara Police Station
In the past few years, Bohra has participated in several reality shows including Nach Baliye 4, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6, Khatron Ke Khiladi 5, Bigg Boss 12, and was last seen in the reality show named ‘Lock Upp’. While in the show ‘Lock Upp’, he was seen telling the other participants that he was in debt and had suicidal thoughts as he was unable to pay the loans back.
He added that he had been facing a financial crisis and there were many cases lodged against him for not paying back the loan money. He stated that he would have killed himself if he had no family to look after. Reportedly, he also admitted that whatever reality shows he participated in since 2015 were all to pay back the loan amounts.
It is important to note that the actor and his wife have always been upfront to give a good lifestyle to their children. Recently the couple decided to enroll their twin daughters in a school in Canada instead of India. Also, in the year 2019, the duo had thrown a special, fanciest Halloween-themed birthday party for their twin daughters named Bella and Vienna.
The Mumbai Police in the recent case has registered a complaint against Manoj Bohra, popularly known as Karanvir Bohra under the relevant sections of the IPC. While the investigations are underway, the Oshiwara Police said that the officers will soon be recording the statements.
On June 14, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) installed a portrait of Dilawar Singh, the assassin of former Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh, at the Central Sikh Museum that is located inside Harmandir Sahib Complex. SGPC president Advocate S Harjinder Singh, a family of Dilawar Singh and other office bearers were present at the ceremony.
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) (@SGPCAmritsar) June 14, 2022
Speaking at the ceremony, SGPC President praised Dilawar Singh and said, “Shaheed Bhai Dilawar Singh had put an end to the atrocities and gross human rights violations committed against the Sikhs then. The decision of sacrificing self is not possible without the Guru’s blessing, and whenever atrocities were committed on the Qaum (community/nation), Sikhs have always made history by making sacrifices.”
In a tweet, SGPC said, “He took birth at the house of his father S Harnek Singh and mother, Surjit Kaur at maternal village Panjgrain in Faridkot. After education, he joined Punjab Police, and for his sacrifice, he was recognised with the title of ‘Qaumi Shaheed’ by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.”
He took birth at the house of his father S. Harnek Singh & mother Surjit Kaur at maternal village Panjgrain in Faridkot. After education, he joined Punjab Police & for his sacrifice, he was recognised with the title of ‘Qaumi Shaheed’ by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) (@SGPCAmritsar) June 14, 2022
SGPC’s move came when co-accused of Beant Singh’s murder, Balwant Singh Rajona’s sister Kamaldeep Kaur is contesting Lok Sabha by-poll on a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket from Sangrur. The Sangrur Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after Bhagwant Mann resigned from there, having won the Dhuri assembly constituency in this year’s Punjab assembly elections. Kaur met her brother in the Patiala Central Jail before her name was announced as the candidate.
Who was Dilawar Singh?
Dilawar Singh Babbar, aka Dilawar Singh Jaisinghvala, was born on August 18, 1970, at village Panjgrain in district Faridkot, Punjab. His father’s name was Sardar Harnek Singh, who was a government employee. His mother’s name was Surjit Kaur. Dilawar Singh joined Punjab Police after completing his studies. During the insurgency, the Congress-led Punjab Government and Central government were accused of atrocities against Sikhs in Punjab.
While serving for Punjab Police, Dilawar joined Khalistani terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa and conspired with another member of Babbar Khalsa, Balwant Singh Rajoana, to kill then-Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh. Rajoana was also a serving Punjab Police officer. Dilawar reportedly volunteered to become a suicide bomber to kill CM Singh.
On August 31, 1995, at around 5 PM, Dilawar Singh blew up the bullet-proof car of Beant Singh at Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat Chandigarh. Along with CM Singh, Dilawar Singh and 17 others were killed in the blast. Two years later, on December 25, 1997, Rajoana confessed his involvement in the case, and while doing so, he blamed Punjab and the Central government for atrocities against Sikhs in Punjab. Rajoana was given the death sentence for his involvement in the assassination of CM Singh.
Dilawar Singh’s death anniversary is celebrated by his followers every year in India and abroad. On March 23, 2012, he was awarded the title of ‘National Martyr’ by Akal Takht. It is the highest award or the temporal seat of the Khalsa. His parents were honoured by The Khalsa Action Committee with the Shaheed Baba Deep Singh gold medal at a function in the city of Amritsar, and Dilawar Singh was awarded the title ‘pride of the nation’.
The politics around portraits of Sikh terrorists at the Museum
Dilawar Singh is not the first Khalistani Sikh terrorist whose portrait is on display in the Museum at the Golden Temple. Portraits of Khalistani terrorists who were killed in Operation Blue Star, including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Amrik Singh and General Shabeg Singh, along with Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Harjinder Singh Jinda, who assassinated General AS Vaidya, were installed by SGPC over the years.
Google map view of Central Sikh Museum at Golden Temple showing portrait of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Source: Google Maps/SGPC
The radical Sikh groups have been demanding the installation of Dilawar’s portrait in the Museum. Akal Takht, that celebrates his death anniversary every year also demanded the same. The recent step is being seen in the line of SAD’s announcement of fielding Rajoana’s sister Kamaldeep Kaur from the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll that is scheduled for June 23. Reports suggest the SAD-BSP alliance would seek a vote in support of the immediate release of Sikh prisoners, including Rajoana and Jagtar Singh Hawara, another convict in the assassination case.
Could the absence of Sahajdhari Sikhs from SGPC be helping radicals?
Several netizens have pointed out that barring Sahajdhari Sikhs from voting in SGPC elections could have helped radicals to overtake the decision process of installing such portraits in the Museum. Columnist Divya Kumar Soti said on Twitter, “Result of excluding Sahajdhari Sikhs from SGPC,” while quoting a report of the installation of Dilawar’s poster in the Museum.
Speaking to OpIndia, Paramjeet Singh Ranu, National President, Sehajdhari Sikh Party, said, “When a political party is formed, we take oath at Election Commission that we will not participate or support in any anti-national activity. Killing a sitting CM is an anti-national act. Sahajdhari Sikhs Party will never support promoting such elements who had participated in anti-national activities. SGPC is a religious body. They should stay away from such activities that may cause instability in the already tense situation in Punjab because of radicals and Khalistanis.”
Contrary to these two statements, several netizens pointed in comments to Soti’s post that if Sahajdharis were in a position to install Dilawar’s poster, they would have done it in 1995 itself.
Netizen claimed Sehajdhari Sikhs would have installed Dilawar Singh’s poster in 1995. Source: Twitter
Who are Sahajdhari Sikhs?
In simple words, a Sahajdhari Sikh is a person who follows the path of Sikhism but has not yet become Amritdhari. A Sahajdhari does not wear the Five Symbols of Sikhism, also known as the Five Ks, which are Kesh (uncut hair), Kara (a steel bracelet), Kanga (a wooden comb), Kaccha (cotton underwear) and Kirpan (steel sword). Many Sahajdhari Sikhs cut their hair and/or trim their beard. However, they would not touch tobacco and strictly avoid eating Halal meat.
Sehajdhari Sikhs were barred from voting in SGPC elections by amending Gurdwara Act, 1925 in 2016. Sehajdhari Sikhs, since the amendment, have been fighting for their right to vote in SGPC elections.
