Shaheed Bhai Surinder Singh ‘Shinder’ was born in Nakodar, Punjab on
November 1, 1960 to his mother Surjit Kaur and father, S.P. Sardar Santa
Singh Bhaur. He grew up in Phagwara and was educated at Guru Nanak Dev
University, Amritsar. During his studies he had the opportunity to
attend the lectures of Sant Jarnail Singh
Bhindranwale. After graduation he immigrated to Toronto, Canada in
1982 and enrolled himself into an electrical engineering program to
further his education. Upon completion of his first year he received a
scholarship to continue his studies. That very summer he visited India
to get married.
Shaheed Bhai Surinder Singh Shinder |
When arriving in India he was wrongfully arrested with his father
(Retired S.P.) by Punjab Police under the National Security Act (NSA).
They were both imprisoned during the attacks on the Golden Temple, the
holiest shrine of Sikhs and several other Sikh temples. These attacks
resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent pilgrims. Bhai Surinder
Singh ‘Shinder’ was deeply saddened by the events that led to the
attacks on the Golden Temple and even more so after the massacres that
followed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. This
assassination resulted in the ruthless killings of 150,000+ innocent
Sikh men, woman and children – an act of retaliatory violence carried
out by Indian government officials. This genocide demoralized Sikhs
across the globe.
Bhai Surinder Singh ‘Shinder’ was one of many Canadian Sikhs that was
deeply hurt by the injustice that was brought upon the Sikh nation.
After being released from prison in late 1984, he made a vow to help
Sikhs that were being wrongfully killed in Punjab. He had strengthened
his relationships with Sikh freedom fighters before returning to Canada.
He became especially close with one of the most famous and effective
Khalsa generals to have taken part in the Sikh Liberation Movement –
Bhai Avtar Singh Brahma. Bhai Avtar Singh Brahma shared a very special
relationship with Canadians and other Western Sikhs who had gone to
fight for freedom on the land of Punjab, India.
The Sikhs of Punjab had a simple ask from the very beginning: for
India to be a democracy in the true sense i.e. allowing all of its
citizens to be given equal opportunity and rights, a country that would
eliminate discrimination, a nation that would rid its government of
corruption. This was blatantly ignored. Shortly after the Khalistan
(“Khalis” meaning “pure” and “stan” meaning “land”) movement gained
momentum, the State of Punjab closed international media and
communication channels so that all the terror struck by the Indian
government would remain confined within the State of Punjab. To date,
human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human
Rights Watch are not permitted in Punjab to investigate the atrocities
committed by the Indian government on the Sikhs.
Although Bhai Surinder Singh ‘Shinder’ had returned to Canada to
continue his studies, he actively kept in touch with his affiliates in
India and Pakistan. He was disturbed by how the news and media was
falsely being portrayed globally about the events taking place in Punjab
– he had a Canadian’s perspective. He had also come to learn that the
founder/president of the Punjab Hindu Shiv Sena terrorist organization –
Rama Kant Jalota was responsible for the tortures and killings of 800+
youths in the vicinity of his home town, Phagwara. Bhai Surinder Singh
‘Shinder’ visited Punjab on several occasions in the 1980’s and was
allegedly accused of assassinating Shiv Sena President – Rama Kant
Jalota, several high ranked political figures, police officers and news
reporters that were supportive of the genocide in and around the
Phagwara area.
Shaheed Bhai Surinder Singh Shinder |
The Indian government had issued a reward on his head, and like many
other prominent Sikh freedom fighters he was betrayed by a close
associate that turned into an informant (Police Black Cat). Bhai
Surinder Singh ‘Shinder’ was unarmed at the time of capture. He was set
up in a fake police encounter on his way to the airport as he was
returning to Canada. He was martyred on June 17, 1989.
Shaheed Bhai Surinder Singh Shinder |
Not only did Shaheed Bhai Surinder Singh ‘Shinder’ sacrifice his
life for equal Sikh rights in Punjab, but also a promising future in
Canada, his relationship with his parents, siblings and nieces and
nephews. He has left behind a legacy that will live on forever in our
hearts by fighting for what he believed in and his sacrifice will never
be forgotten. May his legacy live on forever.