A horrific incident took place at Singhu border recently where a poor youth was brutally killed by Nihang Sikhs. The youth’s hand was chopped off and his body hung in front of the Kisan Andolan Manch. The Sikhs present there have alleged that the youth, named Lakhbir Singh, a resident of Taran Taran, had insulted Guru Granth Sahib.
Four Nihang Sikhs have surrendered to the Haryana Police. However, the shocking part is that they were honored and lauded by Sikhs before their surrender as if they had done something great. They were being welcomed, garlanded with notes, and slogans of ‘Jo Bole So Nihal’ were being raised.
People don’t know much about the Nihang Sikhs, so first of all we would like to tell you about this word. It is believed that the word Nihang is derived from the Sanskrit, which means ‘one who has no doubt or fear of anything, which is also used for a complete warrior, and the word has also been used in many places in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Who is Nihang Sikh?
Sikhs dressed in blue and possessing weapons are called Nihang Sikhs. They are usually armed with conventional or modern weapons such as rusted bracelets, a circle around the turban, and iron bracelets worn around the wrist. They also carry swords, sabers, daggers, and spears, as well as shields, chakras around their necks, and iron chains. Nihang Sikhs are also known for their aggressive attitude.
Sikh Guru Gobind Singh Ji had 4 sons, the youngest of whom was Fateh Singh. The three eldest sons of Guru Govind Singh Ji used to practice martial arts together, since Fateh Singh was young at that time, he was not made to practice martial arts. One day Fateh Singh reached there and insisted on learning the art of warfare, to which the elder brothers explained to him that he was young now, so this is not the right time for him.
Hearing this, he went home and came wearing a big turban and blue clothes and said, “I don’t look small anymore, and now I can learn martial arts.” It is said that from then on, the blue costumes and big turbans of the Nihang sect began.
This army was raised to protect the people who were facing oppression at the hands of the Mughals. Since this army was formed at the behest of Fateh Singh, and he was considered to be the most beloved son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, hence the Nihangs are also known as ‘Guru Di Ladli Fauj’.
Great Army become Gang of Criminals
It is unfortunate to witness the fall of a great army, which has now become a gang of Criminals. The Singhu border is not the first such case, last year during the lockdown, Nihang Sikhs attacked a policeman in Patiala, and chopped off his hand.
Nihang sikhs were moving illegally and when policemen stopped them at the gate and asked them to show them the curfew pass, which was required due to lockdown protocols. Nihang attacked the policemen with swords and chopped the hand of a police officer in this process.
Similarly, last year also, a young man’s hand was cut off by a Nihang Sikh in Delhi. In addition, the Nihang Sikhs were at the forefront of the shameful occupation of the Red Fort on January 26, where a horse-riding army of Nihangs was escorting the convoy of farmers driving tractors.
In Punjab, the Nihang Sikhs have also ransacked several public properties and buses during this fake farmer agitation.
The dark history of the Nihang
It is not that Nihang is just doing some misdeeds, they have a dark history, and because of their similar deeds in the past, the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji, the greatest king of the Sikhs, was also against the Nihang, and used to take action against them from time to time.
We are not saying this, these incidents have been mentioned by Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Doctor John Martin Honigberger in his book “Thirty-five Years in the East“.
Once a Nihang cut off the hand of King Ranjit Singh’s doorman because he had prevented Nihang from meeting the king without permission, Ranjit Singh ordered the Nihang’s nose, ears and hands to be cut off as soon as he came to know about the incident.
Nihang calls himself a religious warrior, but gradually he started looting, and all this increased to such an extent that King Ranjit Singh had to deploy the army to protect the villages and towns from the villagers.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was so disturbed by the Nihang that he called them “Lafango ki Fauj” and maintained that God has not given these people any wisdom or ability to think.
On October 28, 1831, a Nihang Sikh even tried to attack Maharaja Ranjit Singh, he was caught and then ordered to be beaten up by the Maharaja. The Nihang was later sent to jail.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was so upset with the Nihang that he later placed some of them in his government, while he keep punished those who used to create law and order situations.
Nihang Sikhs may have forgotten why they were formed and what is their purpose. They were given weapons, but they do not know how to handle these weapons anymore, they pick up arms at anyone whenever they want, cut off someone’s hand whenever they want, kill someone whenever they want, accusing them of the indignity of Guru Granth Sahib, and spoil the law and order wherever they live.
Today, these Nihang should think about how to control these egos and aggression. It is unfortunate to see that no Gurudwara or SGPC has condemned the Singhu border incident so far, nor is there any outrage over the incident from Sikh society. Instead, we can see how people are supporting these incidents on social media, and how few Sikhs are lauding the Nihang for this gruesome murder.
This is a very wrong trend and Sikhs should learn from history. If they keep promoting such criminals, then again someone like Bhindrawale will be born, thousands of Hindus and Sikhs will be killed as an outcome. Such criminals should be abandoned by the Sikh community and Farmers as well, and Government should take strict legal action against them.
Sikhs are a part of Hinduism which they now deny.Activities are going on to remove any link with Hinduism.The nihangs are in fact criminals.Guru Gobind Singh who himself was a worshipper of Bhavani.Sikhs are being brainwashed to believe they are different.