It is for the basic information of readers that 42 cases were registered against Bhai Bakhshish Singh Baba, out of which he is convicted in four cases. Currently he is charged in a case of bomb attack in February, 2008 on Sirsa cult Chief. It is noteworthy that Bhai Swarn Singh Kot Dharmu and Bhai Mahinder Singh Asandh are convicted for 10 years, along with Bhai Bakhshish Singh. Bhai Hushiar Singh Jhande Kalan, Bhai Gurinder Singh Patiala, Bhai Dharminder Singh UP, Bhai Jaswant Singh Pipal Theh got imprisonment for 5 years. Beside these, Bibi Parveen Kaur was acquitted from this case by court, after one year imprisonment in Karnal Jail.
1975 born, Bhai Bakhsish Singh Baba had spent ten and half years of his in Indian Jails. He has two daughters Charnjit Kaur (studying in class 12th) and Simranjit Kaur (studying in class 10th), and an eight years old son Mohkam Singh. He has also adopted daughter of his wife’s paternal uncle Shaheed Bhai Yadwinder Singh UP, who is studying in final year of B.Com.
Elder daughter of Bhai Bakhshish Singh Baba is victim of problems with the spinal chord. Her spinal cord appears crooked and inclined. Two operations were performed this year on 30 June and 27 July to cure her. Doctors said these operations were quite entangled, made successful with special efforts. Daughter Charnjit Kaur was feeling continuous pain in her neck and head, and vacuity in hands and feet before these operations. So, she was to be cured quickly in these conditions. Expenses of her treatment were paid by Khalsa Aid. I met Bhai Bakhshish Singh Baba at his home on 19 September, 2014. Here I am presenting the conversation that occurred between us:
Question: On which basis did you get release on parole?
Answer: I got parole on the basis of medical treatment of my daughter Charnjit Kaur. I brought Charnjit Kaur to Hargun Hospital two times. Press Conference was organized in hospital. A team of doctors of Paras Hospital, Gurgaon were also present in this conference.
Question: How is the treatment of daughter Charnjit Kaur going these days?
Answer: As the operations have been done, that was from one end to the other end of spinal cord, now Charnjit Kaur is given Physiotherapy. I am very thankful to Dr. Arun Bhanot, Dr. Nupan Bajaj and Dr. Sandeep, who made these
operations successful with special efforts. Dr. Gurwinder Singh of Hargun Hospital also gave a lot of assistance. I specially thank ‘Khalsa Aid’ who paid all the expenses of hospital.
Question: Anything else about the treatment in future?
Answer: We have to bring daughter Charnjit Kaur to hospital two times in a month. Doctors said that she will be given Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation continuously for one year. Family needs my presence these days. My wife also underwent operation during these days, as she was facing a problem for the last 3 years.
Question: Indian media presents the Sikh struggle as anti-humanity and anti-Hindu, what would you like to say about this, as you remained a part of this struggle?
Answer: Sikh struggle is neither anti-humanity, nor anti-Hindu. We have to understand that who is ruling our birthplace? When the ruler is forcibly merging us in Hinduism, it’s clear that our will be in the same language, the ruler is attacking us in which language. Long time ago, Mughals and then English came in our area, and they tried to destroy Sikh culture and our holy scripts, in their own way. We are against the atrocity of ruler, not any religion. We have complete right of defending our religion. I personally suggest every community should love its religion and culture more than their life, like us.
Question: Last question, do freedom struggles ever becomes victims of stagnation?
Answer: No, freedom struggles never becomes victims of stagnation. Atrocities of rulers change the stages of struggle, but stagnation isn’t possible. Some people also think the Sikh struggle is facing stagnation, which isn’t true. Martyrdoms never go in vain. Ways of War change, but intellectuals of struggling communities keep on moving according to their responsibilities. A few years back, there were incidents when our whole community expressed its strength by uniting.
