Babbar Khalsa

Babbar Khalsa (Punjabi: ਬੱਬਰ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, ), also known as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), is a Sikh paramilitary organization based in India. Many Sikhs consider the Babbar Khalsa a Resistance movement[1][2][3], and it played a prominent role in the Punjab insurgency. Babbar Khalsa International is considered a terrorist organization in several countries.[4][5][6] Babbar Khalsa International was created in 1978, after a number of Sikhs were killed in clashes with the Nirankari sect.[7] It was active throughout 1980s in the Punjab insurgency but its influence declined in the 1990s after several senior officials were killed in encounter killings with police.[7] It has continued to conduct infrequent attacks in India since then, including the bombings of Delhi cinemas in 2005. It receives some funding and support from the Sikh Diaspora.

History

The name Babbar Khalsa is taken from the Babbar Akali Movement of 1920, which agitated against British colonial rule in India. The modern-day Babbar Khalsa in its modern day form was created as a result of the Nirankari-Akhand Kirtani Jatha clash on Vaisakhi in 1978, where thirteen Sikhs were killed.The founders of the organization were Sukhdev Singh Babbar, Mehal Singh Babbar and Amarjit Kaur. The initial aim of this panthic organisation was to avenge the death of Sikhs. On 24 April 1980, Gurbachan Singh, the "Baba" (head) of the Nirankaris, was killed; responsibility for this killing was claimed by Babbar Khalsa. Unlike other groups in the Punjab insurgency, Babbar Khalsa was more concerned with propagating the ideas of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha than with the actual Khalistan movement.[8]
Talwinder Singh Parmar was put in charge of the international wing of the Babbar Khalsa in 1981, with Sukhdev Singh Babbar remaining the overall chief or "Jathedar". "Wadhawa Singh Babbar" and "Mehal Singh Babbar" were assigned as vice-Jathedars.

Activity

Main article: List of actions by Babbar Khalsa
Four Babbar Khalsa International UK members were arrested and later bailed in July 2010 in connection with the murder of a Sikh leader in Punjab, India. [9]
Babbar Khalsa kept up a low level of activity until 1983.[8] It's membership was drawn from ex-servicemen, police officers, and Sikh religious organizations.[8] After Operation Bluestar the organization fell into dissaray but was able to regroup and remained active.[8]
During its highest period of activity Babbar Khalsa International had 27 subgroups operating under its direction.[10] It specialized in the use of bombs,[10] particularly RDX.
Babbar Khalsa militant Inderjit Singh Reyat, was convicted in the Air India bombing.[11]

Decline

The crackdown on Sikh militant organisations by the Indian Government in the early 1990s, followed by the criminal and government infiltration of the Khalistan movement and the various militant organisations respectively, greatly weakened the Babbar Khalsa, ultimately leading to the death of Sukhdev Singh Babbar (9 August 1992) and Talwinder Singh Parmar (15 October 1992). Parmar's death remained controversial, and today he is accepted to have been shot dead by Indian police during custody; the Tehelka investigation found that Indian security forces had killed him after interrogation and were ordered to destroy his confession statements,[12] Canada's CBC network also reported that Parmar had been in police custody for some time prior to his death.[13]
The death of Sukhdev Singh Babbar, described by India Today as “the most prominent leader since 1978” who had “an aura of invincibility”, severely weakened Babbar Khalsa.[citation needed]
Despite setbacks incurred in the early Nineties, Babbar Khalsa is still active under ground, although not to the extent it once was. The organisation at present is predominantly active in the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland and Pakistan. Current leadership resides with Wadhawa Singh Babbar, with Mehal Singh Babbar as deputy Jathedar.