Bhai Gurbakhash Singh Khalsa is today’s hero of the Sikh freedom struggle. He has energized and mobilized the movement to seek release of Sikh detainees by demonstrating unprecedented determination and commitment.
Bhai Khalsa was born on December 12, 1965 at Thaska Ali (Distt. Kurukshetra, Haryana). His father’s name is Jathedar Ajit Singh and his mother is Bibi Mohinder Kaur. He has two brothers and one sister. He took primary and Gurmat education from Gurdwara Lakhnaur Sahib and also took Amrit from there.
During his childhood, he used to take a keen interest in Gurmat due to the pro-Gurmat environment in his family. Whenever any religious congregation was held, he used to sing poems on the Chhote Sahibzade. Although he was a Gursikh from his childhood, he became dedicated completely to the Sikh nation after meeting Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, and from then on he began to spread Sikhi. The then rulers did not tolerate his mission and he was arrested in 1982. However, he kept on fulfilling his duties.
He was married to Bibi Jasbir Kaur in 1987 with Gur Maryada and they were blessed with a son who was named Jujhar Singh.
In 1986 to 1987, when the Indian state imposed a ban on the wearing of Kesri (orange) turbans by Sikhs, he was apprehended for some time for raising his voice against the ban.
In 1994, once again he was arrested for allegedly delivering a so-called “radical” lecture. Afterwards, he was taken by police when they framed him in 10 new false cases. He remained in police remand for almost two months and his wife was also humiliated and harassed.
In 2010, Bhai Khalsa was awarded with 10 years rigorous imprisonment and fined 25,000 Rupees. For a small duration he was kept in Ambala Jail but he spent most of the time in Modern Jail Chandigarh.
In Modern Jail, he met Jathedar Jagtar Singh Hawara and Bhai Paramjeet Singh Bheora.
Bhai Khalsa has severely suffered from the dual standards of the Indian state and he knows very well which conditions are being faced by the jailed Sikhs. Notwithstanding the completion of jail terms, they are decaying in jails and the unjust government is not releasing them.
In November 2013, Bhai Khalsa went on a 44 day hunger strike. The campaign was ended after appointed Jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh, promised to take up the issue with State Government and seek release of Sikh detainees. Since no Sikh was released permanently, Bhai Gurbaksh Singh re-started his hunger strike, exactly one year after he commenced it in 2013.
Bhai Khalsa says that the main motive of his fast is to get the detained Sikhs released from their political prisons and following the vision of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale is his main duty.
