1978 Sikh–Nirankari Clash
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The 1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash occurred between the
Sant Nirankari Mission Sant Nirankari Mission is a new religious movement, spiritual organisation based in Delhi, India. It was founded in 1929 by Buta Singh. Sudiksha (Sant Nirankari mission), Mata Sudiksha, the daughter of Hardev Singh, is the sixth spiritual head ...
and Sikhs of Damdami Taksal and Akhand Kirtani Jatha on 13 April 1978 in
Amritsar Amritsar, also known as Ambarsar, is the second-List of cities in Punjab, India by population, largest city in the India, Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportatio ...
,
Punjab, India Punjab () is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab, Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the States and union territories of India, Indian states ...
. Sixteen people—thirteen traditional Sikhs and three Nirankari followers—were killed in the ensuing violence, occurring when some Akhand Kirtani Jatha and
Damdami Taksal The Damdamī Ṭaksāl, Jatha Bhindra(n), or Sects of Sikhism, Sampardai Bhindra(n) is an orthodoxy, orthodox Khalsa Sikhism, Sikh cultural and educational organization, based in India. They are known for their teachings of ''Vidya (philosophy ...
members led by Fauja Singh protested against and tried to stop a convention of Sant Nirankari Mission followers. This incident is considered to be a starting point in the events leading to
Operation Blue Star Operation Blue Star was a military operation by the Indian Armed Forces conducted between 1 and 10 June 1984 to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other Sikh militants from the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), a holy site of Sikhism, and i ...
and the 1980s Insurgency in Punjab.


Background

The
Sant Nirankari Mission Sant Nirankari Mission is a new religious movement, spiritual organisation based in Delhi, India. It was founded in 1929 by Buta Singh. Sudiksha (Sant Nirankari mission), Mata Sudiksha, the daughter of Hardev Singh, is the sixth spiritual head ...
splintered from the
Nirankari Nirankari (, ''lit.'' "formless one") is a Sects of Sikhism, sect of Sikhism.Harbans Singh, Editor-in-Chief (201Nirankaris Encyclopedia of Sikhism Volume III, Punjabi University, Patiala, pages 234–235 It was a reform movement founded by Bab ...
sect in the 20th century. Nirankari, a movement within
Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...
, started in the mid-19th century. Their belief in a living guru as opposed to the scriptural guru,
Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...
, developing over the decades especially in one branch, resulted in their difference with traditional Sikhs, though they were tolerated. A Nirankari hymn-singer, Boota Singh, had been removed from his paid duties due to "personal lapses" considered incongruous in a missionary organization, and in 1929 tried and failed to set up a rival organization in Peshawar, nominating his devotee Avtar Singh, a bakery shop owner, as his successor in 1943. Without having established any significant religious base, Avtar Singh moved to
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
after partition, getting his group registered as the "Sant Nirankaris" in 1948, which were "much different" from the successors of the original Nirankari movement they splintered from. His son Gurbachan Singh succeeded him in 1963, and tensions with the Sikhs escalated as he subsequently proclaimed himself as a godman and incarnation of
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also known as ('Father Nanak'), was an Indian spiritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is t ...
, styling himself as ''bājjāṅwālā'' (Punjabi for "master of the hawk") an epithet of
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
, using the names of the Sikh Gurus for his servants, and coming out with publications like the Avtar Bani, which made derogatory references to the
Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...
of the Sikhs; a story in the ''Yug Purush'' narrated that, unlike the prophets of the world's major religions, refused to go back to earth to "spread God’s message", except for Avtar Singh, who decided to do so "only after God agreed that anyone blessed by him would go to heaven irrespective of worldly deeds". By the 1970s, Gurbachan Singh had begun to put himself on par with the Guru Granth Sahib, Sacrilegious versions of Sikh rituals, including administering to his ''sat sitāre,'' or seven stars, his version of the
Panj Piare Panj Pyare (, ', the five beloved ones) refers to a gathered ad hoc quintet of five baptised (''Amritdhari'') Khalsa Sikhs who act as institutionalized leaders for the wider Sikh community. Function The Panj Pyare are convened for pressing ma ...
of Guru Gobind Singh, ''"charan amrit"'', the water used to wash his feet, in place of the ''
amrit Amrit (), the classical antiquity, classical Marathus (, ''Marathos''), was a Phoenicians, Phoenician port located near present-day Tartus in Syria. Founded in the third millenniumBC, Marat (, ) was the northernmost important city of ancient Ph ...
'', or holy water mixed with sugar by a steel blade, as dictated by
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
for the
Amrit Sanchar Amrit Sanskar (, pronunciation: , lit. "nectar ceremony") is one of the four Sikh Sanskaars. The Amrit Sanskar is the initiation rite introduced by Guru Gobind Singh when he founded the Khalsa in 1699. A Sikh who has been initiated into the ...
. Clashes between the Sikhs and the Sant Nirankaris took place beginning in the early 1950s, and tensions simmered through the 1960s, during which the
Damdami Taksal The Damdamī Ṭaksāl, Jatha Bhindra(n), or Sects of Sikhism, Sampardai Bhindra(n) is an orthodoxy, orthodox Khalsa Sikhism, Sikh cultural and educational organization, based in India. They are known for their teachings of ''Vidya (philosophy ...
came to the forefront to counter Sant Nirankari influence, as well as the Akhand Kirtani Jatha at many places in Punjab. The skirmishes were attributed in significant part to political machinations to maintain a rift between the
Shiromani Akali Dal The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (translation: ''Supreme Eternal Party'') is a centre-right Sikh-centric state political party in Punjab, India. The party is the second-oldest in India, after Congress, being founded in 1920. Although there are ma ...
and the Damdami Taksal, using the willing Sant Nirankaris to do so; Bhindranwale was being harassed and provoked by senior Sant Nirankari officials in the Punjab administration. The Akalis claimed that the Sant Nirankaris were supported by the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
to divide and undermine the Sikh community, while many Sikhs suspected that the Nirankaris were aided and abetted by the
Central Government A central government is the government that is a controlling power over a unitary state. Another distinct but sovereign political entity is a federal government, which may have distinct powers at various levels of government, authorized or deleg ...
and the urban Hindu elite in Punjab, who were the base of the Jan Sangh, the Akali Dal's coalition partner, and from whom the Sant Nirankaris received donations from, and hence why the Akalis had permitted the convention. This reported continuous support of the organization by the central government was also evidenced by the fact that, during a very short span, the Sant Nirankaris established 354 branches: 27 abroad and the rest in India, with large amounts of property. The organization created a paramilitary branch called the ''Seva Dal'', with a membership of over 7,000, headed by a commander, called a ''mukhya shishak'' (chief teacher). The Akali Dal's
Janata Party The Janata Party (JP, ) is an unrecognised political party in India. Navneet Chaturvedi is the current president of the party since November 2021, replacing Jaiprakash Bandhu. The JP was established as an amalgam of Indian political partie ...
allies warned the Akalis not to intervene in the growing tensions on the pretext of "religious freedom", against the wishes of a large section of the Sikh community. Gurbachan Singh had met
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Morarji Desai Morarji Ranchhodji Desai (29 February 1896 – 10 April 1995) was an Indian politician and Indian independence activist, independence activist who served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India between 1977 and 1979 leading th ...
who gave him assurances; major Sikh leaders, including Jagdev Singh Talwandi and
Gurcharan Singh Tohra Panth Rattan Shiri Gurcharan Singh Tohra (24 September 1924 – 1 April 2004) was a president of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), a Sikh body in charge of controlling Gurdwara (Sikh places of worship). He died of a heart attack i ...
, responded by telling the press and government not to meddle in the "internal affairs" of the Sikhs by commenting on
hukamnama A Hukamnama ( Punjabi: ਹੁਕਮਨਾਮਾ, translit. ''Hukamanāmā''), in modern-times, refers to a hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib which is given as an injunction, order, or edict to Sikhs. It also refers to edicts issued by the contemp ...
s.


Incident

On 13 April 1978, the day to celebrate the birth of
Khalsa The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ...
, a Sant Nirankari convention headed by their leader
Gurbachan Singh Gurbachan Singh (10 December 1930 – 24 April 1980) was the third guru of the Sant Nirankari mission, considered to be heterodox by mainstream Sikhs. He was born in Peshawar (modern-day Pakistan). He was declared next Guru by his father and ...
was organized in Amritsar, with permission from the Akali-led State Government of Punjab. While the original Nirankaris, founded in the nineteenth century with a focus on mysticism, coexisted peacefully with mainstream Sikh tradition despite its differences, the practices of the "Sant Nirankaris" subsect were considered heretical by the orthodox Sikhism expounded by Bhindranwale, as they had begun to revere their new founder and successors as gurus and added their own scriptures to the
Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...
, the Sikh holy book which is considered as the eternal guru, with Gurbachan Singh comparing himself to
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
, saying that he would create the "''sat sitārās''" (seven stars) to complement the
Panj Piare Panj Pyare (, ', the five beloved ones) refers to a gathered ad hoc quintet of five baptised (''Amritdhari'') Khalsa Sikhs who act as institutionalized leaders for the wider Sikh community. Function The Panj Pyare are convened for pressing ma ...
. The government's approval of the new sect's convention in
Amritsar Amritsar, also known as Ambarsar, is the second-List of cities in Punjab, India by population, largest city in the India, Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportatio ...
in 1978 was particularly galling to orthodox Sikhs, as it fell on 13 April, the founding day of the
Khalsa The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ...
; some felt that the entire Sant Nirankari episode had been provoked on purpose by the central government to destabilize and disunify Sikhs, given its sudden rapid growth in the 1960s, and the unusual composition of converts to the sect, with a preponderance of either gazetted officers and deputy commissioners that could allot land, and the extremely poor as followers they attracted with their wealth, meant that the breakaway sect was being manipulated to undercut the power of Sikhism in the state by the central government at the time, part of what was believed to be constant attempts to "divide and destroy" Sikhism. The Nirankari held their precession in the morning and amassed a congregation of 50,000-100,000 people who peacefully passed throughout the city. From the
Golden Temple The Golden Temple is a gurdwara located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism. It is one of the Holy place, holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Kartarpur, Pakistan, ...
premises, Bhindranwale delivered a sermon in which he declared that he would not allow this convention. A procession of about two hundred Sikhs led by
Bhindranwale Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (; born Jarnail Singh Brar; 2 June 1947– 6 June 1984) was a Sikh militant. After Operation Bluestar, he posthumously became the leading figure for the Khalistan movement, although he did not personally advocate for ...
of the
Damdami Taksal The Damdamī Ṭaksāl, Jatha Bhindra(n), or Sects of Sikhism, Sampardai Bhindra(n) is an orthodoxy, orthodox Khalsa Sikhism, Sikh cultural and educational organization, based in India. They are known for their teachings of ''Vidya (philosophy ...
and Fauja Singh of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, which had been founded by Randhir Singh, who had been active in the Ghadr and
independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...
movements and had been imprisoned by the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
during that period, left the Golden Temple, heading towards the Sant Nirankari Convention. The subsequent Akali precession mutilated a shopkeeper on the way to the Sant Nirankari venue, whilst Bhindranwale was shouting inflammatory slogans. According to eyewitness accounts, the group, mostly men and joined by women who had refused the advice to stay back, headed out of the Darbar Sahib after an '' ardas'' and commitment to nonviolence. They were walked by Bhindranwale to the gates, where he was requested to not join, as he would be needed to lead in the event of casualties. The local police assigned to the Sant Nirankaris met the protesters and asked them to wait there, as they would go speak to the Sant Nirankaris about their controversial program. The police would return with armed Sant Nirankaris directly behind them, and in the ensuing melee, the police fired selectively at the Sikh protesters, killing several unarmed men as well as hitting Fauja Singh, who according to KPS Gill (who was not present) attempted to behead Sant Nirankari guru
Gurbachan Singh Gurbachan Singh (10 December 1930 – 24 April 1980) was the third guru of the Sant Nirankari mission, considered to be heterodox by mainstream Sikhs. He was born in Peshawar (modern-day Pakistan). He was declared next Guru by his father and ...
with his sword but was shot dead by Gurbachan's bodyguard. In the ensuing violence, several people were killed: two of Bhindranwale's followers, eleven members of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and two Sant Nirankaris. According to Kirpal Dhillon, former DGP of Punjab, the reported participation of some senior Punjab government officials in the convention also may have emboldened the Sant Nirankaris to initiate the attack; later police investigations revealed that the attack on the Sikhs was led by a man on horseback with armed attackers, taking place some 250-400 yards away from the venue. Fauja Singh died as he was being rushed to the hospital, and the cremation of Fauja Singh and the 12 other Sikhs occurred in a large ceremony attended by tens of thousands; the photos of his maimed body, with a bullet wound in his left eye, spread along with the news of the death quickly. This event brought Bhindranwale to limelight in the media.


Aftermath

The clash triggered mass demonstrations, some violent, in
Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
and
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
. The day following the clash, 250
Nihang The Nihang (also spelt as Nihung lit. "Crocodiles") or Akali (lit. "Immortals"), also known as '' Dal Khalsa'', is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihangs are believed to have originated either from Fateh Sin ...
Sikhs, armed with spears and guns, stormed a human unity Sant Nirankari conference, triggering further clashes, in which 28 people were killed and more than 140 were injured. Immediately following the clash, Sant Nirankari sites and holy places were beleaguered and threats of physical violence were meted out. The
Akal Takht The Akal Takht (; ), also spelt as Akal Takhat and historically known as Akal Bunga, is the most prominent of the Takht (Sikhism), five takhts (Seat (legal entity), seats of authority) of the Sikhs. Located within the Golden Temple, Darbar Sah ...
later issued a
hukamnama A Hukamnama ( Punjabi: ਹੁਕਮਨਾਮਾ, translit. ''Hukamanāmā''), in modern-times, refers to a hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib which is given as an injunction, order, or edict to Sikhs. It also refers to edicts issued by the contemp ...
expelling the Sant Nirankaris out of the Sikh community and proscribing any interlocution with them. They further directed Sikhs to use "all appropriate means" to prevent the Sant Nirankaris from "grow ngand flourish ngin society". The SGPC and the Akali Dal further called for a ban on Sant Nirankari religious books and the Punjab government outlawed Gurbachan Singh's entry in the state, an order later annulled by the
Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India is the supreme judiciary of India, judicial authority and the supreme court, highest court of the Republic of India. It is the final Appellate court, court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in India. It also ...
in January 1979. Between 1981 and 1984, there were more than 34 gun and bomb attacks perpetrated against the Sant Nirankaris. A criminal case was filed against sixty two Sant Nirankaris, charged with the murder of 13 Sikhs, by the Akali-led government in Punjab. The investigation concluded that the attack on the Sikhs was planned by a number of accused, including Gurbachan Singh, all of whom were taken into custody except for Gurbachan Singh himself, who was arrested later in Delhi only after being permitted a personal audience with the
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Morarji Desai Morarji Ranchhodji Desai (29 February 1896 – 10 April 1995) was an Indian politician and Indian independence activist, independence activist who served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India between 1977 and 1979 leading th ...
. The Sant Nirankaris had firmly supported
Emergency An emergency is an urgent, unexpected, and usually dangerous situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment and requires immediate action. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening ...
rule, and developed close links with many Congress politicians and bureaucrats, creating a strong foothold in Delhi political circles; this gave rise to opposition from the Akalis and the Damdami Taksal during the same period. The case was heard in the neighbouring
Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...
state, and all the accused were acquitted on grounds of self-defence on 4 January 1980, two days before the
Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, also known as the House of the People, is the lower house of Parliament of India which is Bicameralism, bicameral, where the upper house is Rajya Sabha. Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by a ...
poll. Though the case failed as authorities in Punjab were unable to ensure that the prosecution witness remained uncompromised by interested parties and police in
Karnal Karnal () is a city located in the state of Haryana, India and is the administrative headquarters of Karnal District. The city is well connected as it lies on National Highway 01, in the south of the city lies the cities of Panipat and Sonipa ...
, the Chief Minister of Punjab
Prakash Singh Badal Parkash Singh Badal (8 December 1927 – 25 April 2023) was an Indian politician and Sikh rights advocate who served as the 8th Chief Minister of Punjab from 1970 to 1971, from 1977 to 1980, from 1997 to 2002, and from 2007 to 2017, the longes ...
decided not to appeal the decision. The Sant Nirankaris received support from the media, who portrayed the incident as "inter-sect wars" and proof of rising Sikh orthodoxy, and Desai put the entire blame on the Sikhs; orthodox Sikhs saw this as an attempt to manipulate the sect as a way to undercut Sikhism in Punjab. The government's apathy towards apprehending the perpetrators also caused outrage among the Sikhs, with the ruling Akalis accused of shielding them. The death of unarmed protesters had strongly affected the Sikhs, including those formerly apolitical; Bhindranwale increased his rhetoric against the perceived enemies of Sikhs. A letter of authority was issued by
Akal Takht The Akal Takht (; ), also spelt as Akal Takhat and historically known as Akal Bunga, is the most prominent of the Takht (Sikhism), five takhts (Seat (legal entity), seats of authority) of the Sikhs. Located within the Golden Temple, Darbar Sah ...
to ostracize the Sant Nirankaris. A sentiment was created among some to justify extrajudicial killings of the perceived enemies of Sikhism. The chief proponents of this attitude were the
Babbar Khalsa Babbar Khalsa, officially Babbar Khalsa International (BKI, , ), is a Khalistani militant organisation that aims to create an independent nation-state of Khalistan in the Punjab region. It has used armed attacks, assassinations and bombings in ...
founded by the widow, Bibi Amarjit Kaur of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, whose husband Fauja Singh had been at the head of the march in Amritsar; the Damdami Taksal led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who had also been in Amritsar on the day of the outrage; the Dal Khalsa, formed with the object of demanding a sovereign
Sikh state A Sikh state is a State (polity), political entity that is ruled by Sikhs. There were various Sikhs, Sikh states, empires, and dynasties, beginning with the first Sikh state established by Banda Singh Bahadur to the Sikh-ruled princely states o ...
; and the
All India Sikh Students Federation The All-India Sikh Students' Federation (AISSF) is a Sikh student organisation and political organisation in India. AISSF was formed in 1943. as the youth wing of the Akali Dal, which is a Sikh political party in the Indian Punjab. Origin Before ...
. On 24 April 1980, the Sant Nirankari guru, Gurbachan Singh was assassinated. The Babbar Khalsa, who opposed Bhindranwale, claimed responsibility for the killing of Sant Nirankaris. Several of Bhindranwale's associates and relatives were arrested. The
FIR Firs are evergreen coniferous trees belonging to the genus ''Abies'' () in the family Pinaceae. There are approximately 48–65 extant species, found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Eurasia, and North Africa. The genu ...
named nearly twenty people involved in the murder, claimed to have had ties to Bhindranwale. A member of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Ranjit Singh, surrendered and admitted to the assassination three years later, and was sentenced to serve thirteen years at the
Tihar Jail Tihar Prisons, popularly known as Tihar Jail, are a prison complex in India and are one of the largest complexes of prisons in India. There are 9 functional prisons spread over more than 400 acres. Run by Department of Delhi Prisons, the prison ...
in Delhi. Ranjit Singh later became head of
Akal Takht The Akal Takht (; ), also spelt as Akal Takhat and historically known as Akal Bunga, is the most prominent of the Takht (Sikhism), five takhts (Seat (legal entity), seats of authority) of the Sikhs. Located within the Golden Temple, Darbar Sah ...
. Ranjit Singh spent 12 years in jail as an under-trial from 1984 to 1996. Several other members of Sant Nirankari Mission were also killed later. The police crackdown in the state resulted in an average of 50 youths detained and 6 six killed per week, prompting a wider acceptance of Bhindranwale's claim that the government was out to destroy the Sikhs. The
People's Union for Civil Liberties People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) is a human rights body formed in India in 1976 by Jayaprakash Narayan, as the People's Union for Civil Liberties and Democratic Rights (PUCLDR). Background Indian emergency Jayaprakash Narayan was ...
, an Indian human rights group, accused the Punjab Police of behaving like a "barbarian force." In response, Akali initiatives like ''
Raasta roko Traffic obstruction is a common tactic used during public protests and political demonstrations. Legality Most jurisdictions consider the obstruction of traffic an illegal activity and have developed rules to prosecute those who ''block, obstru ...
'' ("Block the Roads") and '' Kamm Roko'' ("Stop Work" i.e. strike) drew massive popular support in Punjab, and seven other states supported Sikh demands for greater autonomy for Punjab and the decentralization of government power.


Later clashes

Another clash occurred soon after in
Kanpur Kanpur (Hindustani language, Hindustani: ), originally named Kanhapur and formerly anglicized as Cawnpore, is the second largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Uttar Pradesh after Lucknow. It was the primary ...
on September 26, 1978. A frenzied mob of 500 Sikhs armed with guns, swords and spears attacked a Sant Nirankari congregation. According to police reports, the Sikhs had set fire to the tents outside the venue and forcibly entered the meeting hall. In this clash more than a dozen Sikhs were killed in firing by police. In November 1978, another clash occurred in Kanpur after Akali Sikhs, armed with weapons, protested against a three-day Nirankari convention. The police were compelled to disperse the rioters with tear gas and rifle shots after they had attacked the police with swords.


Allegations of Congress involvement

According to Apurba Kundu, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's instigations had engendered the clash, yet he was subsequently vindicated by the Congress apparatus, a gesture requited by Bhindranwale's campaigning for Congress candidates in the 1980 general elections. After the clash, Bhindranwale had associated with politicians with ties to
Sanjay Gandhi Sanjay Gandhi (14 December 1946 – 23 June 1980) was an Indian politician. He was a member of the Lok Sabha and was the younger son of Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi. During his lifetime, he was widely expected to succeed his mother as head ...
. He was assisted in fielding candidates against the
Akali Dal The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (translation: ''Supreme Eternal Party'') is a Centre-right politics, centre-right Sikhism, Sikh-centric state political party in Punjab, India, Punjab, India. The party is the second-oldest in India, after Indian ...
to contest the
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC; Supreme Gurdwara Management Committee) is an organization in India responsible for the management of ''gurdwaras'', Sikh places of worship, in the states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and ...
(SGPC) elections in 1979; his candidates were handily defeated. On the other hand, the Sant Nirankari's had, “…forged close links with many Punjab Congress politicians and bureaucrats.” The Sant Nirankaris were also supporters of the
Emergency An emergency is an urgent, unexpected, and usually dangerous situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment and requires immediate action. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening ...
.


Legacy

Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj, Amritsar was raised in the memory of the 13 Sikhs killed in the clash. Satpal Baghi of Ferozepur in the Indian Express, notes:
Tavleen Singh Tavleen Singh (born 1950) is an Indian columnist, political reporter and writer. Biography Singh was born in Mussoorie in 1950 in a Sikh family. She studied at Welham Girls' School. She did a short-term journalism course from the New Delhi Poly ...
wrote:
Khushwant Singh Khushwant Singh FKC (born Khushal Singh, 2 February 1915 – 20 March 2014) was an Indian author, lawyer, diplomat, journalist and politician. His experience in the 1947 Partition of India inspired him to write '' Train to Pakistan'' in 1956 ( ...
wrote:


Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1978 Sikh-Nirankari clash 1978 murders in India April 1978 in Asia Massacres of Sikhs Insurgency in Punjab Sectarian violence