AMRITSAR After Badal family which has been acting as traitor of Sikh nation and working on dictates of Indian State, lost power in India-administered Punjab, portraits of more Sikhs who made great sacrifices in the struggle for right to self-determination, have been installed in Central Sikh Museum at Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in large number. 

Led by Parkash Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) remained in power during a considerable period in recent decades. Its last tenure started in 2007 and ended in 2017. Dancing on tunes of the Indian government, this family did not only established monopoly over the Akali Dal which has been representative political party of the Sikhs, but also controlled over top Sikh institutions including largest gurdwara body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and highest Sikh temporal seat Sri Akal Takht Sahib. 

During their power, Badals misused these institutions against the interests of the Sikhs and in the interests of the Indian State. They suppressed every voice raised for the independence of the Sikhs in India. They played every trick to keep struggling Sikhs away from the gurdwaras. However, after losing power which was the fallout of the loss of base among the community, they started losing grip over these institutions gradually. As a result, portraits of more Sikh freedom fighters who contributed a lot to the present Sikh struggle especially during its armed phase that was witnessed by Punjab in the 90s, at the museum.  

Established in 1958, it is housed on the first floor of the halls situated along the Parkarma of the Sri Darbar Sahib. The museum is divided into different sections based on Sikh history, with each housing artifacts from the corresponding period. 

Portraits of Satwant Singh, Beant Singh and Kehar Singh who avenged an army attack on Sri Darbar Sahib in June 1984 by assassinating the then Indian PM Indira Gandhi, were already on display there. Besides, portraits of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Bhai Amrik Singh and General Shabeg Singh, who attained martyrdom while defending the Akal Takht Sahib during 1984 attack, and Sukhdev Singh Sukha and Harjinder Singh Jinda, who assassinated General AS Vaidya to avenge the military action at the holiest Sikh shrine, were displayed later. 

Badals’ then ally BJP, Congress and other fascist Hindu groups had opposed installation of Sant Bhindranwale’s portrait in the museum in 2007. The then Punjab BJP affairs incharge Balbir Punj and Punjab Congress president Rajinder Kaur Bhatthal spoke against this step which was taken as per Sikh sentiments.

After Badals lost power, portraits of the Sikh fighters have increased in the museum and other places in the periphery of the shrine. 

On June 5, 2018, portrait of Gyan Singh, who along with other Sikhs eliminated an anti-Sikh cult head Gurbachan in 1980, was installed in the museum, besides that of former acting Akal Takht jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke, who was a sympathizer of Khalistan movement and was allegedly made to disappear by the Punjab Police.

Portrait of slain Babbar Khalsa fighter Bhai Mehanga Singh Babbar who was gunned down by the armed forces during operation bluestar and termed as “first martyr” of the army action, was put up on October 22, 2020. Babbar was first to be killed by the CRPF personnel on the premises of Golden Temple on June 1, 1984. He took position in the building of Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai Sahib when the CRPF opened fire suddenly at him.

On June 14, 2022, the SGPC installed a portrait of Bhai Dilawar Singh, who assassinated the Punjab CM Beant on August 31, 1995 to end his tyrannical regime which massacred the thousands of Sikh youths extra-judicially in Punjab during the armed Sikh movement..  

A day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his then Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar held a meeting over Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, the SGPC on Oct 15, 2022 put up a portrait of Babbar Khalsa militant Shaheed Bhai Balwinder Singh Jatana who got construction of anti-Punjab SYL canal stopped through his action.

On May 13, Damdami Taksal student Bhai Amarjit Singh Khemkaran, who was martyred by the security forces during an army attack in June, 1984, was installed in the museum.

While addressing a function on 13 July this year, Giani Raghbir Singh asked the gurdwara body to put up portraits of Canadian Sikh freedom fighter Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) chief Bhai Paramjit Singh Panjwar and pro-Khalistan leader Gajinder Singh at the Golden Temple museum.

Panjwar was assassinated by unknown assailants at Lahore in Pakistan on May 6, 2023, while Nijjar was shot dead on the premises of a Gurdwara at Surrey in Canada on June 18, 2023. Hands of Indian agencies are behind these assassinations. 

Gajinder Singh who led the hijacking of Indian Aircraft in 1981 for release of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, passed away on July 3 in Pakistan. 

Nearly three months after the Badal Dal lost power in Punjab, the foundation of full-fledged “Shaheedi Gallery” was laid in the basement of the memorial to display all of the Sikh martyrs who were killed by the Indian army in the 1984 attack. A big portrait of Sant Bhindranwale is displayed on first place in the gallery. This gallery has recently been thrown open by the SGPC in collaboration with Taksal for the devotees.

Hardeep Singh