SRI GANGANAGAR, Rajasthan. India—The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today extended financial assistance of Rs. 1 lakh to the family of Sikh freedom fighter Shaheed Bhai Sukhdev Singh Sukha during bhog ceremony of his father Sardar Mehanga Singh, who passed away on January 7.
The bhog ceremony was held at Bhai Sukha’s native village 16-FF falling in Sri Ganganagar and attended by Panthik leaders, including the former president of Sikh Students Federation (SSF) Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu, Dal Khalsa chief Bhai Harpal Singh Cheema, noted lawyer Bhai Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, Captain Harcharan Singh Rode, the SGPC General Secretary Advocate Bhagwant Singh Sialka and Additional Secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhura Kohna.
Jatha of Bhai Kuldeep Singh, Hazuri Ragi of Sri Harmandar Sahib, sang Gurbani kirtan during the bhog.
While addressing the sangat present on occasion, Bhai Bittu paid tribute to Bhai Sukha’s father and shared memories related to him. Notably, Bhai Bittu was a close aide of Bhai Sukha and Bhai Harjinder Singh Jinda, and they fought the struggle together.
The Panthik leaders and the SGPC functionaries presented turbans to Bhai Ramandeep Singh, nephew of Bhai Sukha, who along Bhai Jinda avenged the army attack on Sri Harmandar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib in 1984 by assassinating A.S. Vaidya who was general of the Indian army during the attack on the holiest Sikh shrine.
Sialka and Bhura Kohna also presented a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh to the kin of Bhai Sukha, given the weak financial condition of the family. Sialka also delivered the message sent by SGPC president Jagir ‘Kaur’ to pay tribute to Shaheed’s father.
On October 9 in 1992, the duo Sikh warriors were hanged till death in the Yerwada Central Prison of Pune. They had proudly admitted their act of punishing A.S. Vaidya before the Court.
