Baba thakur Singh ji (2)

By tribune newspaper
Amritsar, December 24,2004
Baba Thakur Singh, who had taken over as the acting head of Damdami Taksal in June 1984
immediately after the infamous Operation Bluestar, died here today after a brief illness at a local
private hospital. He was 89 .
Baba Thakur Singh served as the acting Jathedar of the taksal for 20 years after Sant
Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale in June 1984
Damdami Taksal, which was called “nursery of militancy” during the tenure of Sant Bhinderanwale,
witnessed peaceful days under the moderate leadership of Baba Thakur Singh. Though he was a
man of few words, yet he courted controversy by claiming that Sant Bhinderanwale had escaped
during the Army operation in June 1984 and was “in high spirits”.
Though Baba Thakur Singh, staunch supporter of this theory, is no more, Damdami Taksal is still
divided over this controversy . Bhai Nirwair Singh and Bhai Major Singh told The Tribune that till his
death, the Baba was of the view that Sant Bhinderanwale would come back some day to take over
as the Jathedar of Damdami Taksal.
However, those who believe that Sant Bhinderanwale was killed during Operation Bluestar are of the
view that there won’t be any taker for this theory after the death of the Baba.
Earlier eight radical organizations, working under the name of Shaheed Jarnail Singh and the
Ghallughara Yaadgar Committee, had declared Sant Bhinderanwale a “martyr” at Akal Takht on June
6 last year. The Jathedar, Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, and senior functionaries of the
SGPC were present when Sant Bhinderanwale was declared a ‘martyr’. An elder son of Sant
Bhinderanwale, Bhai Isher Singh, had accepted ‘siropa’ from Jathedar Vedanti, giving a clear
indication that his family had accepted the fact that the Sant was killed during Operation Bluestar.
However, the ‘war of succession’ is likely to take place in Damdami Taksal following the death of
the Baba. There are many aspirants for the post. The families of Sant Kartar Singh Bhinderanwale
and Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale may vie for heading the seminary of the Sikhs, which is more
than 300 years old.
Earlier, an unsavoury situation had occurred when an aide of Sant Bhinderanwale, Bhai Ram Singh,
claimed that Baba Thakur Singh had appointed him the 15th Jathedar of the taksal. Later, the Baba
clarified that nobody could succeed Sant Bhinderanwale as he was still “alive”.
Baba Takhur Singh was born in 1915 at Eechogill village, in Lahore (Pakistan). Both his parents
were baptised, who recited prayers daily and had an unshakeable faith in the Sikh Gurus and Guru
Granth Sahib .After the Partition, they came to India, in Sadaruala village near Makhu in Ferozepore
district. He had served as Garveye (close associate) of Sant Kartar Singh Bhinderanwale for 22
years. He had stayed in the taksal for more than 70 years as he had joined the seminary of Sikhs at
an early age . He has been associated with four heads of the taksal. When Sant Bhinderanwale
launched the Dharm Yudh Morcha in July 1982, Baba Thakur Singh was asked to take care of
Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash, Chowk Mehta. Many gurdwaras were built during his tenure as the
acting Jathedar of the taksal, including Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj B-block where 13 Sikhs were killed
during the Sikh-Nirankari clash.