Exclusive Interview With Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa by a UK Sikh

Posted: 31 Mar 2016

—The following write up was sent by a visitor who met Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa at the DMC Hero Heart Hospital for the first time last week.  This Sikh from the UK was left humbled by meeting Bapu Surat Singh.  The following is transcript of the discussion between Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa, Bhai Ravinder Jeet Singh Gogi, and him.  Sikh24 has kept his identity anonymous for safety reason.
While I was on my way to Ludhiana, I was stopped multiple times by the Sangat who wanted to serve langar.  My visit was during Hola Mohalla, so many such langar stations were setup throughout our way to the DMC Hospital.  I was in a rush to visit Bapu Ji, due to my short visit to Punjab, so I had to consistently ask the sevadars to let us go through without eating.  During one of the stops, when some 3-4 lads heard that I was going to see Bapu Surat Singh, they yelled, “please let this car go as quickly as possible, they’re heading to see Bapu Surat Singh.”  The sevadars were so happy to see me that they mentioned “sadi wi hazri lawa deyo” (please also extend our greetings to Bapu Ji) with folded hands.
I finally made it to the hospital, climbed up with legs trembling with fear, as I had no idea how to face such a great soul. To my disappointment, there were just two Singhs who sat outside Bapu ji’s room. They took my details, as in name, father’s name, phone number and whence I was coming from. I happily shared the details thinking they were cause supporters and wanted to keep a record of how much sangat visit him. One of them knocked at bapu ji’s door and took his consent to allow a visitor to see him.
I entered, there was Bapuji and his son Ravinder Jeet Singh Gogi.  I exchanged fateh followed by minutes of silence. Neither of us could speak, I broke the silence thanking bapu ji for his sacrifice and sewa for the qaum.
Bapuji replied, “My seva is nothing compared to what the Sikhs have done in past.  Our Gurus had to fight wars. To free India, we all know 90% sacrifice was made by Sikhs, be it Jallianwala Bagh, cellular jail (kala pani), hangings, etc. If you compare these with the contemporary leaders, the latter don’t even form half of it. If Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, Shaheed Udham Singh, Shaheed Bhagat Singh had known that post-independence Sikhs are going to be treated in such a manner, they probably wouldn’t have sacrificed their lives for INDIA. They would have fought for the Sikhs alone, knowing they were determined to sacrifice their lives for freedom at any cost.”
Bapu Ji continued –
“Sikhi principles are to protect the victims, which these people cannot tolerate.  I don’t think such betrayal exists elsewhere. The state of affairs here is really sad. So called Panthik-leaders are the biggest betrayers.  Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD, Estd 1920) wasn’t formed so easily, our fathers had to spill their blood to form such an organisation, which these leaders have forgotten. They have been offering siropau (honour) to murderers, people with shorn hair (against Sikhi principles) and then putting up pictures of it on the front page of newspapers.
Sarbat Khalsa took place and was organised by virtually all organisations here in Punjab. And shockingly all participants were labelled as anti-nationals. If Sikhs are anti-nationals then I do not see any other person in India who isn’t anti-national. All newspapers are at the beck and call of Akali Dal, they don’t let any Panthik news to be published. If you raise a voice, they scare you, saying we will put you behind bars on sedition charges. When I say I am here due to the wholehearted support of Sikhs in the diaspora, they call it pointless. I am extremely happy when I get to hear from families that their kids have started wearing gol dastaaran/dumale, started learning Sikh history.”
I asked him to cast some light on the upcoming elections, who Sikhs should consider electing, who could best represent Sikhs, to which he replied, “Our only aim should be to relieve Badal of his duties, get him off the throne. To achieve that, our Panthik organisations lack strength. They can’t even form 5 MLA’s, let alone relieving Badal from his duties. Our organisations never share a common stage.  I always urge them to at least show unity, do a press conference, and let the news out. There are 4 political party’s contesting elections this time – AAP, SAD, SAD(A), Congress. One of the news channels had the audacity to take off SAD (A) from the screen, thinking they’re not even anywhere close – which is all a result of the party’s inactiveness. Mann and United Dal are to contest the elections together and it’s high time they start doing conferences, rallies etc. I would say we lack brilliant minds like that of Sirdar Kapur Singh today.  The Patels shook Gujarat, Kanhaiya Kumar and a few other students shook the Centre, the Jats set haryana alight – where do we stand?!
It has been over a year that I have been telling the youth that you lot cannot fight the fight that Sant Jarnail Singh fought, it takes a lot of courage and you all lack the vigour. Those days were different, people could rely on each other, but times are completely different now. You can only fight on the basis of your own Jazbaat (emotions), not through anyone else’s.  The day these corrupt leaders sacrifice their positions for love, that day we’ll surely have our own home.”
Then I cited examples of leaders in other states like Jayalalithaa and Mamta Banerjee, who are independent and the centre always listens to their demands, and is afraid of them. Why can’t our leaders take a stand like they do? To which Bapu ji replied, “Jayalalithaa passed a resolution in the parliament to free the political prisoners who assassinated the Prime Minister (Rajiv Gandhi). They objected but she remained resolute. I personally have been ruled by three different regimes my whole life. First being the British, second the Nehrus, third these blue turbaned people.”
Then I requested him to share something about Sant ji’s lifestyle since he has had the golden opportunity to be in his sangat, to which he replied, “He had no hunger for anything.  Harminder Singh Sandhu, Bhai Amrik Singh, Sant ji and I used to discuss Panthik issues. When we read history and compared the early leaders with contemporary ones, he was the only person who could match Baba Banda Singh Bahadur – truth, courage, sacrifice, show the youth the right path, etc. were his qualities. In 1983, Rajasthan Hanuman brigade declared that all Sikhs living in Rajasthan must vacate the place by coming Vasakhi or else we will kill them all. The worried Singhs of Rajasthan came to Sant ji and told him about it. Sant ji sent Rajasthan Singhs back saying you don’t have to worry and we’ll take care of it all.
Sant ji called a meeting the same night, asked fellow Singhs their opinion. The Singhs were all furious and said we will take such and such actions (hot blooded actions). Sant ji said then where does the difference remain between you and them? It would all lead to mass murder. And you the Sikhs will be labelled as killers. Sant ji gave a speech in response to the Rajasthan brigade the following week, said, let this be known to the Hanuman brigade, Rajasthan’s Sikhs form an integral part of this qaum, and if you kill even one Sikh, you’ll only have to face 35 each. Worry about them.  Not a SINGLE person was killed. Things simmered down soon after. Alternatively, if any of the Sikhs went and assassinated the Hanuman Brigade leader, what would have been the consequences? War? Blood shed? Now you see what Sant ji wanted? Peace or war?”
“Gurcharan Singh, the PA to Longowal, once hired a man and a woman to assassinate Sant Jarnail Singh. Sant ji would refer to such assassinators as Turks. On the second Sunday of 1983, Sant ji comes and takes up a place next to me in Langar Hall. Two Singhs come to us saying we have two Turks at Akal Takht Sahib who have come to assassinate you, we have confiscated their weapons and now what do we do to them? Sant ji said give them the weapons back and ask them to leave. If they don’t, please ask the Panj piyare doing amrit sewa to do benti to these Turks to leave as.  He didn’t want any bloodshed at the Akal Takht Sahib. This is another example. But who knew that their very own Sikh blood was going to be spilled here at a later time, and in what quantities. If Waheguru wants, he can have such warriors emerge tomorrow, but I do not see any at the moment. The youth today is afraid, as Badal has wiped away Bir Ras (warrior spirit) within the Sikhs. There used to be a Sikh Student Federation but he also destroyed that. Akal Takht has been made powerless, punj pyare don’t play an effective role anymore either – what’s left to take pride in being a Sikh?  Now my only hopes are with the Sikhs living in the diaspora – they’re the only ones who can protect Sikhi. The old people living here rank themselves higher than the Bandi Singhs or the sangharsh and hence don’t want to do anything to save them. The selfishness amongst the panthik organisations here is on peak. The 3 organisations – Panch Pardhani, Dal Khalsa, SAD (A) are the only ones who support the Khalistan movement and they themselves are not in good terms with each other. They never hold united political meetings. The most important task was to get Chandigarh and they have not succeeded.”
“If it were in my hands, the first thing I would do is to pass a resolution on the Sikh Anand Karaj which is long pending. Second, I would pass a resolution stating that Sikhs are a different nation altogether. I already have 500,000 signatures on it. If an old man like myself can do such a thing, what can you not achieve?”
Then I engaged in conversation with Gogi, asked info about his brother in law Bhola’s case, and he mentioned there’s no development in it. I asked him what he did for a living back in the United States, and he said he is a driving instructor.  He said, “I have filed a case in the High Court because they don’t let me and my family fly back to the States. The airport police authorities outright ask me to tell Bapu ji to give up the fast and that then they’ll let me fly out.”
You would be surprised to hear his wife and kids are here along with him and have been so since bapu ji started his Sangharsh. The kids are not allowed to enroll in any of the schools here, therefore getting no education for over a year now.
Then I asked bapuji if he would like to assign me any sewa to which he replies “Every Sikh has a sewa – to breathe and let others breathe the free air, without any bloodshed. One Patel guy shook Gujarat, Kanhaiya Kumar in JNU shook Modi. I have not seen our youth organise even one rally for the release of Sikh prisoners in Punjab the whole of last year – which is very sad.” I said we kept doing protests in the UK but wondered why such protests were not organized here in Punjab. The person accompanying me said Punjab people lack a leader, they do not know who to follow. To which Bapu ji replied, “Times are different now. Rather than following anyone you should start doing your own bit first. When you start walking, the leaders will also emerge. If we don’t start walking and just keep waiting for someone to emerge – we will never get anywhere. We need to stop living with such hopes and believe each one of us is a leader. You all don’t necessarily need to be like Sant ji, some can be like Amrik Singh, some like Harminder Singh Sandhu, some like Sukha Jinda, some like Beant Singh and Satwant Singh – see how many examples we have from our vast, rich history.”
Two doctors walked in to check on Bapu Ji during my stay – the first one seemed like a Gursikh and other was a Hindu gentleman. I questioned them both as to why they have hospitalised Bapu Ji and what they have been doing with him.
The first one, an ENT, said, “Bapu ji was being (forced) fed through the nostrils until a month and half ago when he pulled out all the pipes and has been surviving on water, sometimes lime water, ever since then.”  I then asked him if they are making proper records of his statements, his reluctance to stay here and I asked, why is he being forced to remain hospitalized? The doctor had a stethoscope hanging around the neck and I asked him whether he wanted to check Bapu ji’s vitals.  The doctor said it was not needed at this point.  This statement was very surprising to me. 
I asked him being a Sikh person yourself – what are you doing to support his cause?  The doctor had no reply! I requested him to allow access to the information where Bapu Ji’s medical reports are kept.  The doctor said that this information can only be made available to the court.  “When we do daily checks, we transcribe everything in the medical records.  We encourage Bapu Ji to take food orally but he denies.”  Hearing this, Gogi said, “By encouraging they mean force feeding him by beating him, shackling him with chains, shoving pipes right down his nostrils.”  The doctor had no response to this and said that he’s only an intern learning basic stuff here.
Then Gogi Bhaji told me about the intelligence agencies in and around the hospital.  To my surprise, the two who sat outside weren’t sangat either, they were Punjab police in plainclothes!
After some time, another doctor walked in and claimed to be a psychiatrist but his attire and body language spoke otherwise.  He asked if Bapu ji has been keeping well. Bapu ji remained silent.  Hearing no response, the doctor rudely said, “You don’t want to talk to me? I can come and see you later, when do you want me to come?”
All Bapu ji replied was, “Hoon ta rabb ne chahya ta upar hi mele hon ge,” (if God wills, we shall meet in afterlife).  I questioned this doctor about Bapu Ji’s medical records, however he remained silent.  The doctor stated that there are no medical records, since he checks in on Bapu ji at the most, every 15-20 days.

Overall Bapu ji looked very frail.  His face was shrunken, and he is also hard of hearing now. He could talk to me but showed reluctance in speaking to the doctors, which is understandable.  Bapu ji concluded the meeting with, “Please convey my thanks to all Sikhs outside India for the support, I’m very grateful to them all for the love they’ve shown. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.”