A short memoir of Simranjit Singh Mānn.

The Unfortunate Kanhaiya Lal Teli of Udaipur. – Simranjit Singh Mānn

Comments by Simranjit Singh Mann: Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) states that India is a deeply multi religious and cultural state, that can only be governed by a political party that is liberal and secular. Unfortunately we are in the hands of a right wing radicalised Hindutva party the BJP – RSS.

The killing of Kanhaiya Lal, a radicalised BJP – RSS Member stems from the criticism of Prophet Mohammad, an indoctrinated RSS follower. Ms. Nupur Sharma who was the official spokesperson of the BJP – RSS, obviously her comments have spoilt the Hindu Indian states relations with the Islamic states.

Sikh’s who are neither Hindu’s nor Muslims had to bear the brunt of this uncalled for insult to the prophet and one Sikh was killed recently in Afghanistan, having being thought to be a Hindu.

There is turmoil all over the Islamic world for this insult by the BJP – RSS Spokesperson Ms. Nupur Sharma. It is not sufficient for the Union Government to suspend her but she must be arrested under the severest laws, interrogated and punished accordingly for the damage she has caused to her own party and Union Government of Premier Nerandra Modi.

Earlier before partition of the country in 1947 a Muslim carpenter of the Punjab named Ilm Deen, in a similar manner killed Raj Pal a Hindu Publisher who published a book entitled “Rengeela Rasul”, considered using derogatory words against Prophet Mohammad.

Raj Pal was a staunch Arya Samajist and hailed from Amritsar. His misdeeds enraged the Punjabi Musalman to such an extent that the great Muslim Leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah defended the assailant llm Deen in Court personally. But the evidence against llm Deen was so strong that he received a death sentence, which was carried out at central Jail Mianwali in the Punjab and buried at Miani Sahib Graveyard Lahore.

During the funeral procession of llm Deen all the well-known and the elite of the Punjab’s Muslims marched behind llm Deen’s coffin.

We do know the fate of the two Muslims Riaz Ansari and Ghous Mohammad, who have been arrested for the murder of Kanhaiya Lal Teli, but we think their trial and eventual punishment would be watched keenly in the Islamic world.

Incidentally, Mahashe Raj Lal who insulted the Prophet was the father of Surinder Nath, and IPS Officer who was my Director General of Police in Central Industrial Security Force. I was posted under his charge in Bombay. He was a much professional Police Officer who credited himself as having served in Jammu and Kashmir as the Inspector General of Police. He took pride in himself as an officer who had found the missing hair of Hazrat Muhammad Sahib.

As Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force, he wanted to go to the Punjab to take part in the Akali agitation seeking autonomy for Punjab. Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala had then emerged as the undisputed leader of the Sikh’s. Sant Bhindrawala wanted a solution to the Punjab political imbroglio. Infact the Sant was rigid on his stand.

When I had served as a Senior Superintendent of Police of Faridkot District, Sant Bhindranwala’s village was in my district, village Rode. I was much saught after to help the Government solve the issue.

Surinder Nath was appointed as an advisor to the Punjab Governor. Punjab was then under Central Presidential Rule, its legislature having been dissolved.

Before omitting office as Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force, Surinder Nath flew into Bombay and asked I see him in a state owned rest house of a company. I did as I was asked. I was dressed in my uniform, on entering the drawing room I saluted Surinder Nath smartly and he asked, I be seated across him, which I did.

As time was precious Surinder Nath came to the topic immediately and in a flattering tone said that I had a lot of knowledge about the Punjab and its rural people including Sant Bhindrawala. I replied that what he thought of me was correct.

Then Surinder Nath said he had solved the issue of Prophet Mohammad’s hair with the help of Kashmiri Muslim Police Officers. Then he added that I must accompany him to the Punjab and help him and the Government solve the political – religious problem in the Punjab. I kept my guard and said the problem was political and not administrative. If it were an administrative problem I would accept his offer and accompany him to the Punjab. But since it was a political problem I could not be of any help in solving it as the Government intended to solve it militarily and with its physical might. I refused the offer. Surinder Nath gave me a wry smile or smirk, indicating that the meeting was over and I could leave. I got up from the sofa chair, saluted him smartly and went back to my office at Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Bombay.

A few days before Operation Bluestar was to begin on 6th June 1984, I was again summoned by the Punjab Government to Chandigarh to see some files that concerned the inquiry that the Punjab Government had instituted against me. In the Civil Secretariat at Chandigarh, I was sitting in the office of the Inspector General of Police – CID, Sardar Harjit Singh Randhawa. While there Sardar Harjit Singh came on the line and I heard him saying – “the gentleman you ask for is sitting just in front of my desk”. He added the word “idiot”. It was a telephone call from Surinder Nath now advisor to the Punjab Governor telling Sardar Harjit Singh that right at that very moment I was in the company of Sant Bhindrawala.

So high were the tempers between Sikh and Hindu Officers on the issue of Sant Bhindranwala that Sardar Harjit Singh Randhawa, a mild and good mannered officer had to shout back at Surinder Nath and call him an idiot.

Long after that Surinder Nath was appointed the Governor of the Punjab. I think his son was posted as a administrative officer in Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. Surinder Nath asked and received a state helicopter to fly him from Chandigarh to Kullu. The helicopter was heavily loaded with the what at that time was presumed to be the personal luggage of Surinder Nath.

As the helicopter took off from Chandigarh it was found that the helicopter was taking its time in climbing to the appropriate height. However, the pilot brought the helicopter to climb steadily and soon it was over the Kasauli Monkey Point, some six thousand feet above sea level. But ahead there were mountain peaks that had higher altitudes. Before reaching the last higher peak and then the descent to Kullu, the heavily laded helicopter could not go over the peak and crashed into it. No person survived but the shepherds found stacks of currency notes scattered a hundred yard in every direction. That money was the Government of India’s secret service fund entrusted to Surinder Nath the Governor.

Immediately after it came to be known that Surinder Nath was carrying the loot and now had died with it, the Union Government sent in some BSF trucks which loaded the remaining secret service fund from the Raj Bhawan, Surinder Nath’s official residence in Chandigarh, and spirited away, whatever secret service fund of Surinder Nath was left behind.

Both Mahshe Raj Lal, father of Surinder Nath, and Surinder Nath died un-natural deaths for the misdeeds they had committed all their respective lives. I am still alive to tell the story – Simranjit Singh Mānn

Simranjit Singh Mānn,
President,
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar),
Email: simranjitsinghmann@yahoo.com
website: https://akalidalamritsar.in/
facebook page: @sardarsimranjitsinghmann