On November 11, following the Supreme Court’s orders to release convicts of the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) issued a statement and demanded the release of Sikh prisoners. In a statement, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami questioned why similar release orders were not being passed in the cases of Sikh prisoners.
Dhami added that the community has been demanding the release of Sikh prisoners lodged in different jails for the last three decades, but the governments have not responded positively. He claimed, “There are many such cases in which the governments have been merciful to the prisoners with heinous charges like murder, rape, etc. On the other hand, injustice is being done to the Sikh prisoners.”
Dhami named Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, Gurdeep Singh Khera and Balwant Singh Rajoana in his statement and targeted Delhi Government, Karnataka Government and Central Government, respectively, for not releasing the prisoners. He mentioned Tamil Nadu Government’s recommendation in the release of the assassinations of Rajiv Gandhi and questioned why other state and central governments failed to do the same for the Sikh prisoners. He said, “This discrimination is deeply hurtful to Sikh sentiments, about which governments should be serious.”
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal echoed the demand. In a tweet, he said, “Is there still a reason for not releasing Bandi Singhs who have completed their jail terms? If GOI needed any const ground to fulfil PM’s promise on Guru Nanak DevJi’s 550th Parkash Purab, SC provided it by setting Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins free. Release Bandi Singhs forthwith.” (Bandi Singhs means Sikh Prisoners.)
Jain Commission Report on Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination attempts
While Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by LTTE, the Khalistanig terrorists also attempted to take his life multiple times. One of the most famous threats given to Gandhi repeatedly by Khalistani terrorists and sympathisers was ‘Oh Rajiv teri maa maari aa, hun teri baari aa’ (Oh Rajiv your mother was killed and now it is your turn). This threat was repeated by several Khalistani terrorists during speeches, addresses and interviews.
Between 1984 and 1991, there were several attempts on Rajiv Gandhi’s life by Khalistani terrorists. The Volume III of The Jain Commission Report on Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination talked about the threats to Gandhi and his security. Chapters 8 to 10 of Volume III had details of Sikh extremists’ attempts on Rajiv Gandhi’s life.
The commission report noted that the threat to Gandhi’s life was from Sikh extremists living in India as well as foreign countries. It also pointed towards the role of Pakistani agencies in threat perception. The report stated that the threat to Gandhi’s life began before he became the Prime Minister and continued after he ceased to hold office.
They reported that following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the resentment against the Gandhi family among the alienated Sikhs came to focus. The alleged justification of anti-Sikh riots by Gandhi and the hanging of Satwant Singh (convict of Indira Gandhi’s assassination) and Kehar Singh (co-conspirator of Indira Gandhi’s assassination) added to the resentment.
Almost all the Sikh extremists and terrorist groups including Babbar Khalsa, Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (BTFK), Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and others expressed the desire to assassinate him at some point.
Domestic threats and assassination attempts on Rajiv Gandhi’s life
On October 2, 1986, there was an attempt on Gandhi’s life during Gandhi Jayanti but he escaped unhurt. A gunman named Karamjit Singh had fired shots using a country-made gun at Gandhi Samadhi at Raj Ghat, where PM Rajiv Gandhi, President Zail Singh and other dignitaries were present. Several bullets were fired, and Congress MLA Brijender Singh Mowai and former judge Ram Charan Lal were hit. Karamjit Singh was nabbed after he had fired several rounds, most of which missed as he was using a poor-quality country-made gun.
In 1987, a Khalistani terrorist Harjinder Singh Jinda was arrested for the assassination of Congress leader Lalit Maken. During interrogation, he revealed after killing Maken in 1985, he was assigned to assassinate Gandhi, but he could not succeed.
Intelligence Bureau reports suggested that in January 1988, KCF terrorist Daljit Singh visited Delhi along with Sukhdev Singh, Sukhwinder Singh and Kanwaljit Singh to plan an attack on Gandhi. They allegedly procured four 2-inch mortars, 2 rocket launchers, 20 shoulder-firing missiles and 2 115 mm mortar guns from Pakistan. Apart from these deadly weapons, they allegedly got their hands on SMGs or stun guns, LMGs, assorted small weapons and over 150 China-made AK-47 rifles. The plan did not bear any fruit.
The commission report also pointed towards an alleged attempt to blow up an aeroplane in which Gandhi and other VIPs were travelling. Labh Singh’s group of KCF was named in the attempt. They allegedly procured sophisticated weapons from Canada for the attempt on Gandhi’s life.
On March 29, 1988, Gandhi visited Amritsar with other VIPs. As per the commission report, Sikh extremists in their teens allegedly asserted their determination to kill Gandhi. As per Financial Times correspondent John Eliot, Giani Jagir Singh of Golden Temple asserted they would kill Rajiv and Ribeiro. A large cache of weapons, including RPG-7 rockets, AK-47 rifles, and explosive devices, were recovered from the possession of extremists.
In May 1988, a Khalistani terrorist identified as Gurbax Singh Sahota alias Budha visited Punjab to attempt the assassination of Gandhi.
Prominent Khalistani terrorists whose names came to the fore at that time were Gurnam Singh Bundala, Member Council of Khalistan and Convenor of All Indian Sikh Students Federation(AISSF), Dr Jagdish Singh Buttar(AISSF) and Sukhdev Singh Jhamke (KCF). Suicide squads from Jalandhar, Tarn Taran and Bathinda, were reportedly formed for the assassination attempt. Furthermore, underground members of AISSF, Subeh Singh and Jagjit Singh, were assigned tasks to create disturbance in Bathinda to cause distraction and plan attacks on VVIPs.
In 1988, there was an indication that Sikh extremists based in Pakistan got hold of 2 to 6 stringer missiles that they allegedly procured from Afghan Mujahideens. Adequate protection for then-PM Gandhi’s aircraft was provided in light of the threat.
In August 1988, intelligence agencies received input that a group of 63 infiltrants entered India to make an attempt on the lives of Gandhi and Buta Singh by the end of October 1988.
In September 1988, when Gandhi was scheduled to visit Punjab, there were intelligence reports that suggested KCF had communicated with its members that Gandhi might visit Golden Temple secretly. Later, KCF was assigned the task of eliminating Gandhi if he visited the Golden Temple Complex. Reportedly, Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh might have been offered to Punjab Police personnel to place an explosive device under the rostrum from where Gandhi was scheduled to deliver his address. There were alleged plans by Panthic Committee and KCF to blow up a vehicle in the vicinity of PM’s route during his visit to Punjab.
In December 1988, arms and ammunition were allegedly smuggled into India to attempt the assassination of Gandhi on January 26, 1989. The attempt was not fruitful.
In January 1989, Jaswinder Singh Hundal of the Khalistan movement in North America and a member of ISYF attempted to enter India to conspire with the assassination of Gandhi.
In February 1989, it came to light that two Air Force Personnel from IAF station Ambala were approached by a “common friend” in 1985 at a marriage party. The commission report noted, “they had shown their keenness to serve “cause of Sikh Panth” by attempting the life of former PM.”
In April 1989, Ajit Singh Qadian of AISSE declared the days of Rajiv Gandhi were numbered while talking to a group of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU). In the same month, Pakistan-based leaders of BTFK allegedly asked its cadres in India to use 6KM to 8KM range missiles to cause damage to PM House, Parliament House, Hindu localities and Connaught Place in Delhi.
In July 1989, so-called Area Commander Bakshish Singh of KLF received a letter from one Sarbjit Singh, who expressed his keenness to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi provided he was given Rs 5 crores and weapons.
In December 1990, 24 Sikhs from Punjab were allegedly sent to New Delhi to assassinate prominent personalities, with Gandhi being the prime target. However, attempts were neutralised by the security forces. It came to light that a BTEK (Manochahal group) terrorist Satnam Singh was tasked to assassinate Gandhi.
Babbar Khalsa terrorists in allegiance to gangs of Madha Singh, Dharam Singh Kashtiwal and Sukhdev Singh Chhabra were allegedly assigned the task to attempt the assassination of Gandhi during the election campaign in Delhi. Babbar Khalsa group in the UK also allegedly planned the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and his son Rahul Gandhi using unconventional methods, including poisonous gloves.
On May 14, 1991, Harpreet Singh Rangi and Sukhbeer Singh Khanna attempted the assassination of Gandhi but failed. They had attended two public election rallies at Shahdara, New Delhi and then at Faridabad. Khalistan National Army was believed to be behind the attempts.
Two incidents were crucial before the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. On May 17, 1991, a public meeting that Jagdish Tytler was addressing was attacked. On May 19, 1991, Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was attacked by Khalistani terrorists. Two police personnel and a bystander were killed. Following the incidents, the Intelligence Bureau recommended NSG escort Rajiv Gandhi on May 20, 1991. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991, while the process to provide him NSG escort was underway.
Foreign threats and assassination attempts on Rajiv Gandhi’s life
There were several attempts on Rajiv Gandhi’s life in foreign land too.
In January 1985, the Federal Bureau of Investigation found out that Khalistani terrorists based in New York were planning to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi. They aimed to bomb strategic locations, including nuclear plants in India. Three terrorists, identified as Gurpratap Singh Birk, Lal Singh and Ammand Singh, were found to be attempting to train cadres in the USA in the use of explosives, automatic weapons, chemical warfare and urban guerilla tactics. Reportedly, they were trying to get in touch with suppliers of C4 explosives and machine guns in India. In its report, the FBI said Gurpratap Singh Birk, Lal Singh and Ammand Singh were booked on charges of conspiracy to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi while he was in the US. Birk was convicted of seven years of imprisonment for conspiracy to carry military enterprise against India but acquitted on the count of attempting assassination of Gandhi as the evidence was found to be weak.
In April 1985, the FBI found out that the leader of a terrorist group attended the ‘World Sikh Conference’ in London. He started a campaign to arrange Gandhi’s assassination during his US visit and was willing to pay USD 60,000.
In June 1985, Gandhi had planned to visit Paris. There were plans to observe a hunger strike by the Sikhs and submit a memorandum to him. However, there were also rumours that there might be a possible attempt on Gandhi’s life. The French Authorities took effective preventive action against the threat.
In October 1985, an assassination attempt on Gandhi was unearned by British Police during his 2-day visit to the UK. Jarnail Singh Ranuana, Parmatma Singh Marwaha, Harminder Singh Rai and Sukhwinder Singh Gill were arrested in the matter. Ranuana was sentenced to 16 years, and Gill was sentenced to 14 years. However, the other two were acquitted.
Another plot was unearthed by British Police where an unknown Sikh had approached a British soldier to kill someone for a large sum of money. It was unclear if it was for Gandhi or someone else.
In November-December 1987, Panthic Committee member Wassan Singh Jaffarwal allegedly visited Pakistan and sought their support to send infiltrators in the guise of Hindus to kill Gandhi. The committee allegedly attempted to approach the Israeli government to hire Israeli commandos to attack VIPs in India and on foreign land.
In May 1988, a rally was organised by Damdami Taksal, Jatha Bhindran, ISYF, Council of Khalistan, Dal Khalsa and World Sikh Organisation at Hyde Park, London, to protest against Indian security forces’ action at Golden Temple (Operation Black Thunder II). Threats to Rajiv Gandhi’s life were issued during the rally.
During Gandhi’s visit to Pakistan to attend SAARC Summit, there were reports of a possible attempt on his life by Babbar Khalsa’s Talwinder Singh Parmar.
In October 1990, a close-door meeting was allegedly held at New Castle, UK. It was attended by Tarsem Singh Pattar, General Secretary of the ISYF(N), UK, Daljit Singh Shergill, Lakhwinder Sikh Malhi, Hardesh Singh (Norway) and one Malwinder Singh from the Federal Republic of Germany. During the meeting, they discussed the possibility of attempting the assassination of Gandhi during electioneering.
The nexus between LTTE and Khalistani terrorists
As per the Jain Commission report, Intelligence reports suggested that the links between LTTE and Khalistani terrorists flourished as early as 1987. As per the information provided by RAW, “Some unidentified Sri Lankan Tamils in Oslo sympathetic to the LTTE have also come to notice for trying to establish contact with Sikhs there. In a recent conversation with the Sikhs, they reportedly sought to blame our Prime Minister for the recent developments and suggested the latter should be killed.”
The founder of the Khalistan movement, Jagjit Singh Chohan, had allegedly tried to bring all militant groups under one roof to fight the Indian government. As per the commission report, two LTTE representatives met him in London on January 22, 1988, to know his position in terms of an armed struggle. Chohan allegedly assured them to form a common policy for Sikhs, Tamils and Muslims.
In early 1988, young Khalistani extremists in Southall, UK, had allegedly approached LTTE extremists to procure weapons for Khalistani extremists in India, but it was not fruitful.
Though there were no clear indications that Khalistani terror groups provided support to the LTTE to assassinate Gandhi, the timeline of attacks on Congress leaders, repeated attempts on Gandhi’s life and the nexus between Khalistani elements and LTTE might point towards the possibility.
