No One Should Shed Tears Of Grief Over Our Martyrdom

 

7.10.1992

 

Right now, at this moment, we have been talking of you to the staff here at the prison. We told them that we suspect everybody (you all) have reached here, but that they are not letting us meet. There is no such thing as humanity in these people. The souls of Chandu and Gangu have been reincarnated into them. It is not time to close yet, but we are seated here inside our cells. Brother Harjinder Singh is also writing a letter. There are slow rain-showers today; but at first the rain came with some force. Nobody should shed tears of grief over our martyrdom – this is a time for rejoicing amongst all of us, and in this spirit of celebration and happiness we have had boondhi [a Rajasthani snack comprising fried chickpeas] prepared and stored here to be distributed when the time comes. We have always received unmeasurable love from you; thanks to your prayers of support and good wishes, we are today in utterly high spirits!

 

On the night of the seventh day in October, a curfew has been enforced; this was done at midnight. Earlier in the night, I had taken out my bedding; brother Harjinder Singh told me to sleep whilst he took guard and the first watch. At eleven o’clock, the superintendent arrived with his associates and other lackies. Brother Harjinder Singh became very angry and threw off his tunic and postured as if he were a wrestler. He grabbed the deputy superintendent by the throat and put the fear of God into them all. “We told you we didn’t care about meeting others” he said, “but never did we think you would stoop this low. You are such heartless people. It is because of your vulgarity and such excesses that we are at war with you. We have never caved in, nor will we cave in to you. Look at your humanity – eventually you stopped us from meeting Nirmal Singh too.” Sleep began to call to us both and so we voluntarily went along with the curfew at midnight

 

Please pass on our dear greetings to family in Jandiala and Rana. I am now being watched intensively in an effort to stop me writing so that we can peacefully end the night. Forgive me my mistakes.

 

Your own,

Bhai Sukhdev Singh Sukha