Shaheed Bhai Phoola Singh Sanghera

All India Sikh Student Federation

 

Bhai Phoola Singh was born in the year 1961 to the blessed womb of mother, Mata Nirmal Kaur and father, Sardar Pritam Singh in the village of Sanghera, district Barnala. He was one of five children, with four brothers. Bhai Phoola Singh studied up to 12th grade at his village school and then proceeded to attain his Bachelor’s degree at Mastuana Sahib College. Bhai Phoola Singh was also a very devoted Gursikh and spent a lot of his spare time reciting Gurbani (The Sikh scriptures from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji).

 

In the year 1978, the massacre in Amritsar took place where 13 Gursikhs were killed and attained Shaheedi (martyrdom) following the movement of a peaceful protest at an anti-Sikh event organised by the Narakhdhari cult. Where the cult followers and the police purposely opened fire at the Sikh group. This changed the situation in Punjab and political curves were now manifesting. Bhai Phoola Singh was deeply affected by this incident and felt strongly this should be protested against and avenged. He formed a group of twenty-five youths and began educating and preaching in his area about Sikhi and the current political situation.

 

In the year 1982, the Dharam Yudh Morcha was initiated by Giani Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale at Sri Darbar Sahib. During this time, Bhai Phoola Singh participated devotedly and would regularly give himself up for arrest when it was called for. He would join forces closely with local leaders such as Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Sant Harchand Singh Longowal. As he became more active and in contact with the many inspirational Gursikhs of the time, Bhai Phoola Singh fell in love with the Damdami Taksal and was always eager to serve Giani Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale and Bhai Amrik Singh Bhura Kohna. Whenever programs by the Sikh Students Federation were arranged in his area under the leadership of Bhai Amrik Singh, he would avidly take on many responsibilities to ensure the programs were well organised and a success. Bhai Phoola Singh would also take care and perform selfless service at their local village Gurdwara.

 

On the day of the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib in June 1984, the villagers had gathered at the local Gurdwara to commemorate the martyrdom of the fifth Guru, Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj. The village Sangat soon found out of the attack and were deeply hurt by this. It was also known that thirteen of their village members had attended Sri Darbar Sahib on that very day to pay homage and thanks for a new truck purchased by Bhai Jora Singh, a local of Sanghera village. All thirteen were massacred in the attack and never returned home. Those in Bhai Phoola Singhs circle pledged an oath on that day to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the Khalsa Panth and fight against this tyranny.

 

In those days, the command of the federation in the Barnala area was under Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu. Bhai Phoola Singh worked tirelessly day and night, with great courage to facilitate all programs in his area, alongside his fellow Singhs Bhai Mahinderpal Singh Tola and Bhai Surjit Singh Mukh (who ultimately also attained Shaheedi). He then became the president for the Sangrur area. Here he held many conferences, meetings, propagated the Sikh fight for freedom, advocated for the eradication of dowry and to follow simple marriage, and Bhai Sahib also supported Sikh youths in jail and their cases. With being so active, it was inevitable the police would soon catch up with him. The police gradually began to make excuses to question and harass him.

 

Bhai Darshan Singh Dhaula (village Dhaula, near Tapa, Barnala), Bhai Nirmal Singh Nohra (village Nohra, Nabha Patiala), Bhai Jagroop Singh Jupa (village Jagjitpura, Barnala), Bhai Dharam Singh (village Dhilwan, Barnala) were his main companions with him at that time.

 

In the year 1988, a Hindu youth was murdered and his body was dumped outside the house of the SDM of Barnala. This division creating activity between the Sikhs and Hindus was a very common one. The anti-Sikh elements were quick to malign and blur the movement by causing religious rifts. The police were quick to point the finger at Bhai Phoola Singh for the murder of this Hindu youth. In anticipation of this suspicion, Bhai Phoola Singh had already escaped and went underground. He was soon caught and was brutally tortured. He spent one year in Ludhiana Jail and was then released when the real culprit of the murder was identified. Upon his release, he was appointed the General Secretary of the Sikh Students Federation. He did not go back to his family home, rather he went underground again and continued serving with the Jhujaru Singhs on the mission he had pledged his life on.

 

On 19th April (Vaisakh) 1991, Bhai Phoola Singh was staying at the home of his close associate Bhai Jagsir Singh Kaka, in the village of Kothe, near Surjitpura. There was a well-known black cat (undercover informant) who the Jhujaru Singhs had been searching for and following. On this day in Barnala, Bhai Phoola Singh’s fellow Jhujaru Singhs saw him and attempted to shoot him, but he survived and escaped. Immediately, the black cat informed and led the police to the whereabouts of Bhai Phoola Singh in the village of Kothe. The police soon surrounded the house. Due to the heavy cordon, there was no way for Bhai Phoola Singh to escape, his attempts to flee failed him. Ultimately, he took a cyanide capsule and attained Shaheedi (martyrdom).

 

Thousands joined and gathered outside the police station in order to retrieve his body. Bhai Phoola Singh was then cremated beside the Gurdwara in his village attended by thousands. The final prayers were conducted at Guru Gobind Singh College in Barnala.

 

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Phoola Singh Sanghera