AMRITSAR In memory of Sikh freedom fighters Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda who were allegedly killed by Indian intelligence agencies on the soil of Canada and UK respectively, a function was organised on Saturday at Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai Sahib, situated in Sri Darbar Sahib complex in Amritsar. 

The function was organized by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in collaboration with other Sikh organizations to commemorate martyrdom days of the Sikh leaders. 

On the occasion, Ragi Jatha of Bhai Jagroop Singh performed kirtan. Charanjit Kaur, mother of Bhai Khanda, and various pro-freedom Sikh leaders made a presence on the occasion. 

The SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami presented a siropa (robe of honour) to Charanjit Kaur. “There is a big importance of martyrdom in the Sikh nation. The Sikh organisations have remembered Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda today. Remembering martyrs is the duty of the community”, said Dhami while addressing the function.

Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann, Emaan Singh Mann, Harpal Singh Balehar, Advocate Simranjit Singh, Narayn Singh Chaura, Prof. Baljinder Singh, SGPC member Gurcharan Singh Grewal, advocate Bhagwant Singh Sialka and Dhadi Tarsem Singh Moranwali.

While addressing, Simranjit Singh Mann said expressed concern over target killings of the Sikh activists who committed for freedom of Sikh homeland, on foreign soil. He accused the Indian government of eliminating the Sikh leaders through its intelligence agencies under deep rooted conspiracies. 

Advocate Simranjit Singh, who is senior lawyer of Punjab and Haryana High Court, said, “The SGPC should constitute an international commission comprising lawyers, judges and experts of global level to probe of the killings of Nijjar, Khanda, Ripudaman Singh Malik, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, Deep Singh Sidhu and Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu Moose Wale. 

On the occasion, Sangat of Canada honoured Charanjit Kaur with gold medal. 

A Khalistan activist, Nijjar was head of Surrey based gurdwara in Canada and was assassinated on the gurdwara premises on June 18, 2023. As per Canadian investigation, Indian intelligence agencies were behind this assassination. The investigation is still going on, in which the United States is also cooperating with Canada. 

Bhai Khanda died on June 15, 2023 in a hospital in the UK under mysterious circumstances. Despite Sikh organizations raising demand, the UK government did not allow the local investigation agencies to conduct the probe of the mysterious death. As per the investigation conducted by the Sikh organizations on their own, Khanda was given some poisonous substance and it was alleged that India played a role in his death as he was a prominent activist who advocated freedom of Punjab. 

Notably, Indian government has ruled out the allegations and denied its hands behind these killings.