4
INDIRA’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL SIKH WAR
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri a tiny, little man, had his hands firmly held by Nehru. But he rose many a time in height at the India-Pakistan War in August September 1965. There was possibility of an American supplied Patton-Tank, and Army Chief Gen. J.N. Chaudhari, had ordered the Indian forces to withdraw to Beas to face the Pakistani onslaught. If the plan had been implemented, it would have meant cut off of Kashmir. Pakistan could have taken over not only the Valley but also Hindu Jammu, as part of Kashmir. President Dr.S. Radhakrishnan, was playing a silent role in the ongoing scenerio and in his broadcast on September 11, he stated that Sant Fateh Singh who had agreed to postpone his fast, will be satisfied with the eventual solution of problem agreed to by the leader of Punjab. He held out certain assurances on Punjab imbroglio.1 The Sikh Generals – General Harbaksh Singh and General Rajinder Singh Sparrow - refused to carry out the orders of their Chief , and decided to hold out. They put out chosen Jawans from the Sikh Regiments as suicide-bombers fully laced with explosives to lie down amidst sugarcane/other grasses, to explode the oncoming Patton Tanks. This had its desired effect.
The Patton Tanks became useless. One Patton Tank, which had escaped, was brought to New Delhi for popular display. This caused wide jubilation amongst the people. The Army was heroically supplied by civilians (read Sikh) population in its three-pronged thrust in the Lahore sector. The Army authorities acknowledged the role by civilians in the conflict. The performance of the civilian truck drivers was spectacular. The Sikh peasantry rose as a man to back the troops in providing Jawans their provisions – the basic necessities of life. The zeal, enthusiasm and daring spirit displayed by the populace put to shame Punjab-renegade Hindus (only Arya Samajis) and their cohorts – the cohort of Satan - who were out to play tricks. Shastri was in his spirits and chose some Sikh farmers to go over to Kutch: they in course of time overturned saltpeter land to become fertile to defend the people.
After the cease-fire on September 26, Home Minister Gulzarilal Nanda was for a cooperative solution based on goodwill and a reasonable approach. Parliamentary Consultative Committee was constituted under Speaker of Lok Sabha consisting of nominees from the two houses of Parliament. Obviously, no Parliamentary Committee presided over by the Speaker could make its recommendations to any one, except the Parliament. Shastri, Nanda and Indira Gandhi were fulminating at the turn of events.
After the event some Congress (I) Hindus said that the Sikhs had acted as mercenaries and next time, they may side with Pakistan. This led to adjournment motion in Punjab Assembly on November 3, 1965, over the issue of the arrogance and insulting remarks made, and Gurnam Singh visibly agitated, stated, “We cannot tolerate these insults. Have Hindus taken the monopoly of loyalty to the country?2
With Shastri’s death at Tashkent and induction of Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister on January 20, 1966, Nehruvian line was back with vengeance. She wanted to circumvent the Parliamentary Consultative Committee to set aside its recommendations. The Committee had recommended the present state of Punjab being reorganized on linguistic basis and the Punjabi region specified in the First Schedule to Punjab Regional Committee Order, 1957, to form an unilingual Punjabi speaking state. She set up a three member Committee, consisting of a sitting Judge, J.C. Shah and two retired Civil Servants, S. Dutt and M.M. Philip. Krishna Huthee Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru’s sister, not knowing Indira’s game plan, wrote, “I am sure Indira was overruled.” Reflecting Gangu Brahmin heritage, she went on to add, “If it were upto me I’d …send a fire squad to hasten them Sainthood”.3
There was again a breeze of fresh thinking on Punjab by the national leadership of both Jan Sangh and Rashtriya Swyam Sevak Sangh. For instance, Balraj Madhok in his Presidential address to Jan Sangh in April 1966 pleaded for his party’s acceptance of the division of Punjab on linguistic basis and berated the “extremists elements among the Akalis and the Arya Samajists” who were dissatisfied with reorganization.4 He and RSS leader M.S. Golwalker, who toured Punjab in April 1966 urged the Hindus of Punjab to acknowledge Punjabi as a legitimate language and Gurmukhi a proper script for the Hindus to accept.5 Again as in 1960, it was the anti-Sikh family tradition of descendants of Ganga Ram Kaul alias Gangu Brahmin that held the sway.
The Shah Commission worked in a most arbitrary manner. It declared certain areas hilly, and transferred to Himachal Pradesh. It worked with vengeance in its discretion in depriving Panjab of as much as it could. As a result of web created by herself, Chandigarh was created as a centrally administered territory, shared by both Punjab and Haryana. Central Government took over Control over Bhakhra Dam and reservoirs, certain channels and headworks. It was working on a polity as if it were working for secession. Sant Akali Dal dubbed Shah Commission “to be the worst type of communal commission.” Master Tara Singh saw it another move to enslave the Sikhs.
The break up of the Shiromani Akali Dal had a deleterious impact on the Sikh community. The Khatris, Aroras, Ramgarhias, Jats, Mazhbi, Ramdasias and others presented a solid force. Master Tara Singh’s leadership of Shiromani Akali Dal helped to solidifying the various elements. It was expected that around 1944 the emergence of Sikh Students Federation would help to usher in the educated classes, and will serve as a nursery for the Shiromani Akali Dal. But Master Tara Singh failed the Sikh Students Federation in mid 1950s, and this led to people like Fateh Singh to come up. The Jat background of Sant Fateh Singh was propped up by people like Kairon and Communists who successfully infiltrated the new Akali Dal.
Jats also smashed Mazhbis, Ramdasias and other backward classes of Sikhs. This brought about inferiority complex and humiliation. Indira also used Giani Zail Singh to play havoc with Ramgarhias, who had a vast presence at international level including Britain, Canada, USA, apart from East Africa. During the British period the Khatris, Aroras, Ramgarhias, and bulk of Sikh Mazhbis, Ramdasias and other backward classes were firm in their Sikhism, whereas Jats many a time were firm, while some of them were wavering in their form. But all of them owed their fealty to Sikhism. Jats straightaway from Partap Singh Kairon including his sons and nephews started playing with the Sikh backward classes, especially in Malwa, and disrupted if not wrecked the Community. The failure of Master Tara Singh in finding someone from the Sikh Students Federation, even a Jat, would have brought about a sobriety and solidarity. If Master Tara Singh was a semi-qualified, Sant Fateh Singh and his collaborator Sant Chanan Singh and later Sant Longowal, were quasi-qualified. If Sant Fateh Singh’s Driver won a seat in Parliament, later it was a heyday with people like Tohra and Talwandi who never opened up their mouth in Parliament, except when they were inducted as Members. S. Kapur Singh ICS, could not be inducted, despite his comprehension, grasp and assimilation. When Sant Longowal signed an agreement with Rajiv-Longowal accord, he had to depend on two Sikh scholars, who betrayed him. That was the state of affairs of the Sikh Panth.
Indira Gandhi was on a life and death struggle with Syndicate which was bent upon removing her. The issue was decided in Presidential elections - V.V. Giri vis-à-vis Sanjiva Reddy. Akalis of whatever hey had bitter experience with Nehru and Indira. Her defeat would not have been unwelcome. Even Akalis remaining neutral would have been seen him lose. Gurnam Singh faltered in offering her support. Akalis should know that gratitude has no place in politics. Not being adept in the game they wasted the opportunity to rue later. He played a fax pass in voting for Giani Bhupinder Singh in place of Jathedar Santokh Singh, he lost the Chief Ministership when Congress betrayed him. This led to Parkash Singh Badal as Chief Minister on March 27, 1970.
Indira was now on high road to establishing a personalized rule with loyalty to her being equated with loyalty to the nation.6 She was now on a much better position to carry forward her family vendetta against the Sikhs. The forces of evil had been greatly strengthened.
Indira now sought to strike decisive blow at any prospects of Akali Dal and Jan Sangh coming together. Dr Jagjit Singh Chauhan was let loose on international arena to propagate, what he called, Khalistan. Since Indira by the time was having a war of words with Pakistan over the crisis in East Pakistan and influx of Bengali refugees to India, Chauhan came into contact with foreign governments, and their intelligence set ups too. The U.S. Under Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger and Pakistan’s President Yahya Khan, looking for a break through, fell into the trap and extended support to Chauhan.
Chauhan on September 18, 1971, in a press interview in London raised demand for Khalistan and stated that a rebel government would be formed with headquarters at Nankana Sahib; if necessary, the Sikhs would fight the Indian army and obtain arms from Pakistan and China.7
Dr. Chauhan’s gains through CIA yielded rich dividends. Half a page advertisement in the New York Times on October 12, 1971, for the Sikh demand for independent state was backed off with demonstration before the United Nations Headquarters. Chauhan’s, setting up an office of Khalistan Headquarter in Quito in Latin America and two other offices – one in Paris and another in London were also paid for by CIA. Chauhan duly arrived at Nankana Sahib on Nov 2, for Guru Nanak’s birthday celebrations. He was ceremoniously presented with the Keys of Gurdwara Janamasthan on birthday of Guru Nanak.
Dr. Jagjit Singh Chauhan walked nonchalantly through Wagah border, and was received by a R&AW officer: he was fully debriefed. This included some Sikhs from USA who had developed close relationship with some from Pakistan hierarchy with whom they had developed fine relations. Being American passport holders, they had freedom to move out. Dr. Chauhan was adept in deceive, chicanery and hyperbole, but he was told that he must tell them truthfully about others what they had in their mind. Dr. Chauhan was being used as an agent provocative to bring out the truth – the truth Indira wanted to listen. He had the vast field of R&AW offices in UK, Canada, USA and other places to help him appropriately. He, on arrival at Delhi, was closeted with Indira Gandhi. This was openly mentioned in the press, and it was not long that Pakistani’s learnt the truth about Chauhan. It was obvious that Indira Gandhi was acting as a mother of Khalistan movement, whereas Dr Chauhan was acting only as an intermediary, though he had put on a lot of airs.
Indira’s prestige reached new heights following India’s victory over Pakistan leading to the creating of Sovereign, Independent, Bangladesh, and with 93,007 Pakistani Prisoners-of-War in hand. Besides, Dr. Chauhan’s activities abroad were deliberately projected by the media to form part of Sant Akali Dal’s doings, and scare away Jan Sangh from it. Indira Gandhi paid and bribed to bring about the downfall of Akali Ministry in 1971.8 The Akalis had no answer to this downfall/type of character assassination campaign by the controlled media. Hindus tilted the balance in Punjab. Giani Zail Singh was inducted as Chief Minister of Punjab, on March 17, 1972.
Indira Gandhi lost her nerves at Simla Conference on the mid-night of July 1 /2, 1972, when she put her signatures on the Simla Declaration. She lost her objectives to make Z.A. Bhutto to agree to the line of control as the international borders between the two countries. In the process, he made her to wash out India’s victory. In a year or so she released Pakistani prisoners of war but not wanted the release of 54 persons - bulk of them were Sikhs with sizeable Hindus from various provinces. She let them rot in Pakistani jails. Some wrote to their family members to take up their case with Indian foreign office. Some spirited persons took up their cases with the Indian Supreme court, but Indira had no mercy.
Sant Fateh Singh died on October 30, 1972, and Sant Channan Singh followed suit in another month. Tohra, a past master in effective alliance, with his solid support of leftists infiltrators, seized Presidentship of SGPC, on January 6, 1973. That, he has been able to seize over two decades without his active links with Communists being questioned reflects the bad days to which the Akali leadership has fallen. Tohra under advice of Marxist leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet, and also Giani Zail Singh (from whose Faridkot district many Naxalites came), started bringing in former Naxalites in employment in various Gurdwaras. So was the case with the induction of Communists, Naxalites and agnostics. This accelerated the downhill journey of the Sikhs in socio-religious sphere. This is not to downplay the role of Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha under the leadership of S. Hukam Singh to carry on the work of dharam prachar, starting 1973.
India on May 18, 1974, had exploded at Pokhran a nuclear explosion with the words, Buddha is Smiling. Indira thought that she could survive with the nuclear power. It was another matter that Soviet Union despite being a Super Power and a World Power, could not maintain the soviet position and was reduced to a Russian Federation.
The declaration of the state of emergency on the night of June 25-26, 1975 was an eventful event. She resolved now to have only committed Judges. She went the whole hog to bend the judiciary by capricious transfer of judges, suppressions and by weighted new appointments. The Sikhs, as we shall see, were the worst sufferers. Indira got into her head that only the Sikhs constituted a threat to her imperious and dynastic rule. She started up with two punitive measures to inflict permanent injury to the Sikh economy: One - she came up a with a bitchy award on March 25, 1976, allocating the Waters and Hydel Power of the Punjab rivers under section 78 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 to Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Punjab. Parkash Singh Badal not unexpectedly failed to get Indira’s Hydel Power Award of March 1976, removed as one of the emergency excesses. Akali were the only ones to have run a morcha from day one to the last day of emergency. They could have walked out of Government of India.
Two, Defence Ministry for the first time issued orders for recruitment to the armed forces to provinces based on population. This meant a reduction of the Sikhs to just 2 per cent. The Defence Ministry orders also provided for induction of members of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. The Army Chief, Tapishwar Narain Raina, another Kashmiri Brahmin,8a put down the induction of Scheduled Castes and Tribes into the armed forces, though in the case of Sikh backward classes, the members of Sikh Light Infantry had won laurels. This has been a continuous discrimination with the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, but their leaders have not taken it up to look at it. Look at how Eklavya was cheated of his thumb by Daronacharya – who said the sort of perfection he had attained in archery was beyond the competence of Arjuna, and could pave way for power and sovereignty. The entry into armed forces is a certainty a road to power. The induction of lower castes needed to be taken up by the new classes of Scheduled Castes and Tribes that is coming up.
Indira Gandhi used another two stratagems. Firstly, she introduced drugs from across the borders and entrusted through Partap Singh Kairon’s sons and nephews, apart from some others, to wreck the Sikhs’ physical strength to produce inertia; another aspect was not to be able to join the armed forces. Two, she brought Biharis into the Punjab as labourers. Shortly, they came into droves and brought along with them their families. This was a process of coming and going. They were back to Bihar at the time of elections. Later, in course of time, Badal used them as surrogate Sikhs for vote at Gurdwara elections.
Reflecting a change of tactics, she assisted by her thoughtless cronies committed to Khalistan in 1978, and managed for them a lot of publicity. There was truth in Atal Behari Vajpayee’s assertion that both Gaini Zail Singh and Darbara Singh were supporting the Khalistani movement.9
The next state was marked by Dr Chauhan’s simultaneous announcement for formation of Khalistan in June 1980 from London and Amritsar, as if all in a great fun. The Intelligence Bureau in Amritsar was more interested to find out the reaction of journalists. The inaction of authorities gave credence to the Akali Dal (L) charge that Khalistan movement was a political stunt by Congress (I).10
Indira Gandhi collected all the data about Gangu Brahmin and his ancestory by a reference to the family records maintained by Pandits at Mattan shrine in Kashmir Valley. A small team led by Yash Pal Kapoor, a former M.P. in 1980 collected the data. This firmed up her resolve to carry on her war against the Sikhs to its logical conclusions.11
When Indira was inaugurating the digging of Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canals on April 6, 1982 at Kapuri, near Patiala, and Akalis were holding a protest meeting at Ghannaur, 6 kms. away, gave a new stage to the Punjab situation. Several heads of cows were placed before the Hindu temples at Amritsar, the following two days. This shows desperation of Indira Gandhi, at whose instance, Darbara Singh’s Congress(I) agents were activated. It was on record, some Muslim butchers from Saharanpur recruited to throw Cow heads at Hindu worship places, were arrested at Amritsar but the inconvenient news was suppressed. The orders must have come from highest command. The denial of Dal Khalsa activists was deliberately got locked out. According to government’s media management, Dal Khalsa claimed responsibility but their patron Giani Zail Singh wanted to spell the truth . He was told not to intervene.12
When she was thinking of cow heads, she had thought of Giani Zail Singh who could play the role of a joker, placed above the card in a pack; she nominated him as President of India in July 1982. He announced his roles as one who could sweep her floor, if need be. In the end, he fulfilled his role, causing her no obstacles.
Bhindranwale now had taken full circle and matured into a bitter critic of Indira. In the words of Bhai Gurdas, young cuckoos flutter in discomfort as they grow, and a time comes when they part company. The time for Bhindranwale had come by May 1982. Indira Gandhi entered into two agreements in October and November 1982 through Rajinder Singh Bhatia ad Swaran Singh, and reneged within a few days of each other. A Congress (I) leader told Kuldip Nayar that “Mrs. Gandhi herself sent for Bhajan Lal, Haryana Chief Minister and told him about the proposal” about Chandigarh and territorial adjustments. The agreement was torpedoed. Bhajan Lal took the responsibility that no Akali crossed into Delhi to create disturbances during Asian Games. Bhajan Lal issued blanked orders prohibiting travel of all Sikhs through the state. Every Sikh without any inhibition, including Congress leaders like Swaran Singh and Amarjit Kaur ruling party M.P., despite their telling them who they were , retired Army Generals, senior officers, visitors from abroad or citizens were treated alike. They were subjected to harsh treatment and humiliated.13
Bhindranwale said on September 3-4, 1982. ”She either wants to liquidate all the Sikhs or make them lick her chappals…. Born in a Brahmin family, what does Mrs Gandhi know about the problems of the Sikhs. She is more interested in establishing here dynastic rule than anything else.”14
By October 5, 1983, there were engineered incidents as the intelligence agencies now operating for a sufficient time had reached the stage to upgrade the centre of operations in Punjab. The killing of 6 Hindus and one injured at Amritsar Delhi roadways was one such incident; this led to dismissal of Darbara Singh government. Bhindranwale said that six Hindus have been killed and the government has fallen, whereas 200 Sikhs have been killed by police and nothing has happened. When a similar incident of killing of four Hindus on November 18, 1983, of hijacking of Punjab Roadways at Moga, Bhindranwale categorically condemned the incident. Tribune categorically exonerated the Bhindranwale or Harchand Singh Longowal’s involvement. The Government was on high road to enact its drama. Bhindranwale said that earlier we did not ask for Khalistan. It is for the Government to make up its mind on the question whether it wishes to remain with us or not. But till the end he made no statement in favour of Khalistan. Both Nehru and Indira and their henchmen like Kairon, Dr. Jagjit Singh Chauhan, Harkishan Singh Surjeet and others have been talking about Khalistan, sometimes inciting, provoking or rousing up the Sikhs in any offensive manner.
S. Kapur Singh I.C.S., and some time member of Parliament, had told Dr. Rattan Pal Singh, Advocate, (married to his niece), in January 1983, he could see a situation that Indira Gandhi could enact a genocide of the Sikh community, the same way Hitler did enact a genocide of the Jews. What Jews could have done?
Two Sikhs in USA too reached the same conclusions sometime around Baisakhi, April 1984. Dr.Narindra Singh Kapany, a spirited Chairman of the Sikh Foundation, at Palo Alto in California, persuaded 150 Sikhs from all over the U.S. to verge to the U.S. Congress in Washington D.C., about “the impending danger in Punjab”. Apart from Congressman Jim Corman, Dr. Kapani addressed the House of Representatives, in Washington D.C. when he warned U.S. officials that “information gathered shows the government of India instructed by Indira Gandhi is getting ready to attack the Golden Temple and we strongly advise them not to do so, because if they do – it will be the beginning of the end.” Following proceedings, the Sikh foundation sent a telegram to Indira Gandhi stating that, “The Golden Temple is under serious threat of being attacked by the Government of India and we strongly urge you not to do such a thing”. To aid in the situation, the Sikh Foundation proposed that a group of Sikhs from the US would come to Delhi and Punjab to pacify the situation and convince elected leaders that an operation like this should never be undertaken. A copy of this letter was sent to K. Shankar Bajpai, India’s Ambassador to the U.S. However, no reply was received.15
Indira by the time was egged on by KGB for an operation at the instance of Marxists who had their own objectives. Besides, Margaret Thatcher at the instance of Indira Gandhi poked through Special Air Services (SAS) Regiment’s Counter Terrorist Wing to look into Clinical Extraction Operation, to remove ‘enemy’ quickly and so often secretly. The British plan ensured minimal loss of life. That was against the grain of Indira Gandhi. The Indian Army thought the plan a foolish one: Indira’s plan expected a gigantic achievement. Hence, the SAS programme was dropped.16
A lot of works have been written on Operation Blue Star. I have also made my contribution. I don’t want to dilate on Operation Blue Star in detail. Sufficient it to say on June 1, 1984 Singh Sahibans of Golden temple Giani Kirpal SIngh and Giani Sahib Singh termed it as an invasion of the Golden Temple by dushts, wicked people, and called for their liquidation. Sant Longowal made efforts to talk to Zail Singh who warded off the calls. The realization started on June 3, 1984, when Ramesh Inder Singh took over as Deputy Comissioner Amritsar.
The infantry was facing stiff challenge and Gen. Subeg Singh ‘s placing LMGs nine inches above the Parikarma floor made crawling impossible. RAW’s Estt-22, especially equipped, could not get any closer to Akal Takht despite use of chemical gas canisters, in violation of international conventions. The use of prohibited gas did not yield the desired results because of stiff breeze and heavy sand bagging of windows and entrances. They asked the Tank support. After seeking Indira’s approval, APCs and seven of the army’s main battle tank, Vijayanta, were brought within the Golden Temple complex in early hours of June 6. Another 20 tanks were stationed in strategic positions. The leading APC was knocked out by the Chinese made Rocket Propelled Grenade tender (RPG-7). Hence, all the seven Vijayanta used their 105 mm main guns to fire at Akal Takht with devastating results. The Golden Dome was damaged and Akal Takht almost completely destroyed. So was the case with Darshani Deodri, entrance gate, of the Golden Temple. The infantry assault led by Madras Regiment to capture Akal Takht met stiff resistance and it suffered 80 per cent loss.
There was no comparison to General Subeg Singh’s services rendered as Military Advisor of Sant Bhindranwale, that the battle of June 1984 is connected with few renowned Sikh battles fought in the world history. He was a renowned organizer of Mukti Bahni, that the Bangladeshis mentioned his name with great respect. When the news was splashed of Gen. Subeg Singh’s martyrdom in June 1984, the Bangladeshi Ambassador at Kabul saw me at a reception held at the Embassy (I was then an Indian diplomat) and mentioned of his high performance in Bangladesh, though because of circumstances, it was not possible for him to pass him such tributes.
Ved Parkash, former Police Commissioner, Delhi, in his Uncivil War mentions of armed forces death in June 1984 at 35 percent of an army Division, i. at 5600. This can be accepted. This includes killing of jawans of two Army Divisions in confusion. Gen. Subeg Singh had created such a disorientation and bewilderment amongst the enemy forces that they functioned as a confused lot. Now, when we are accepting Sant Bhindranwale, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh and others, it will be in fitness of things we should accept Gen Subeg Singh’s contribution not only as a martyr but also put up a Martial Art Academy in his name.
I had earlier mentioned that Army circle gave out that Sant Bhindranwale did not have God’s word on his lips at the time of his death. His last words were, ’Tell her (Indira), she is daughter of a bitch’ … He was tortured and died with bullets in his forehead. Now at the last stage of my life, I need to tell the people asking me what type of tortures to which he was subjected? The Lt. General put a cigarette on his lips, and he blurted out, the words he spoke about Indira. Taken aback, the Lt. General straight away shot at his forehead. He was martyred.17
The Army Unit in Amritsar was feted by the Hindus and this went on all over Punjab. Durgiana Mandir Management offered Rs.7.5 Lakhs to Army authorities. They considered it a great victory of Hinduism over Sikhism.
Indira started relay of regular kirtan, singing of hymns, from Darbar Sahib, to coincide with Giani Zail Singh’s visit on June 8. 1984, on his arrival at parikarma, circumambulation. Ragi Surinder Singh sang, to coincide with Zail Singh’s movement, of bitchy nature of the rulers, (Cf. Bhai Gurdas): kuta raj bahalye mur chakki chatte – a dog becoming a ruler cannot desist licking chakki. It was taken as a challenge to the occupying forces. Obviously, Guru Ram Das was shower a deluge and fuselage of shame on Giani Zail Singh. Did he listen to the Guru’s voice? No, he did not want to.18 On June 12, he stupidly said, that what she has done in Darbar Sahib, the Sikhs will not be able to raise their head for 50 years. On June 17, he put a seal of approval of Indira’s misdeeds.
Apart from full destruction of Akal Takht, the dome of Golden Temple had over 300 bullets all over. Indira Gandhi, Buta Singh and Tejwant Singh of Skipper group (whose father Prof. Harbans Singh was President of Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, and who had congratulated Indira on Operation Bluestar) were involved in replacement of upper golden leaves, which were of high value, by inferior quality golden leafs secured through Dubai from appropriate makers as per design, without customs clearance at the Airport. So was the case with the leafs presented to reconstructed Akal Takht, which was later pulled down.
Indira was vigilant as to the happenings in USA, Maj. Gen. (Retd. Jaswant Singh Bhullar had taken over as Secretary General of the World Sikh Organization established in New York on Jul 28, 1984 to provide the Government of India access to all what was happening at international level on Sikhism.
The Sikh Foundation of America arranged Twenty Congress delegates to travel to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and visit Punjab to speak with prominent Sikh leaders on the seriousness of their situation and changes that needed to take place, and come back to the US and issue a report on their findings. As this trip was being organized, a letter of the proposed mission was sent to Ambassador Bajpai.
Instead, Bajpai responde