Jarnail Singh
Jarnail Singh, was a Sikh journalist from the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran. He has become famous due to the fact that on 7th of April 2009, he hurled a shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram at a press conference over his lack of response to questions that Mr Singh had put concerning the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) clean chit for the Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Mr. Singh had repeatedly tried to bring up some discussion on the clean chit given to Jagdish Tytler in the matter of his involvement in the violent pogrom against Sikhs after the assassination of Indira Gandhi by two of her personal Sikh bodyguards, shortly after the invasion of the Harmandir Sahib in 1984. After several attempts at ending Singh's questions, Mr. Chidambaram said that the GBI report would now go to the Court which would decide to accept or reject it.
Then he raised his palm to Mr. Singh saying there would be no more talk on the matter of Tytler, when Jarnail Singh, almost politely, grasped his right shoe and bowled it underhanded in an arc to the side of Mr. Chitabaram's head, who even smiled as the shoe passed by. No doubt he immediately knew that the formerly un-noteworthy meeting would now be a part of history.
Long after Chidambaram's name has gone to the history pages of wikipedia, Jarnail Singh's minute of frustration, over the lack of justice, for the victims of the 84's riots will still be playing on television screens and telephone's around the world.
Film of the incident on youtube [1].
Surprised, restrained but point is made
Several men then moved to take hold of both of the Sikh Journalist's arms and rushed him out of the meeting, with Chidambaram telling them, "Gently, Gently". Interestingly enough Mr. Singh seemed to be just as shocked at his action, as were the rest of the people in attendance.
Those who knew Singh were quick to express their surprise, describing him as a clam person of deeply held religious beliefs. Mr. Singh was quick to say, “I admit my method was wrong, but the sentiment was right. I do not wish that any journalist should behave in this manner.”
No doubt the scene brought to mind the recent 'shoe toss' that was 'heard 'round the world', when an Iraqi journalist tossed both his shoes at Pres. George Bush while he was on a State visit to Iran in his last few days as the US President.
However the brief bit of astonished anger, resounded with many Sikhs and others around the world who have waited through many years for some of the 'king pins' of those days of bloody murders to be brought to justice. One group even offered a princely sum for the shoe.
Jarnail Singh Honoured by SGPC
ikh Journalist from Delhi was cordially invited to Harmandir Sahib for a private meeting with Avtar Makkar the president of the SGPC.
The private meeting between Singh and Makkar took place at the Information Centre at the Harmandir Sahib Complex. During this meeting, Makkar presented Singh with a job position as media advisor to the SGPC. However, Singh felt committed to his current duties and could not accept the job. Singh felt a great sense of honor to be offered a Panthic position, but decided to decline because his present employer has not let him go from his present duty. In a written statement addressed to the public he wrote that he would like to continue his profession as a Journalist for the Dainik Jagran.
In addition to refusing the job position by Makkar, Singh stated he would not accept any cash-reward or funding for doing his duty as a Sikh and as a Journalist. He mentioned that if anyone wants to offer money they should do so to the 1984 riot victims and their families. Many skeptics have stated that Singh's actions were pre-meditated for political purposes. But Singh has stated, “My act was not pre-meditated as it was [an] emotional outburst and protest against injustice meted out to the victims of [the] 1984 anti Sikh riots.” It was this shout for justice which has given Jarnail Singh immense honor within The Panth.
After the meeting, Singh was presented with a robe of honor (Siropa) due to his courageous efforts to highlight the plight of the 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms that were orchestrated by Tytler, a congress select for the upcoming elections
After receiving a Siropa, Singh, who was accompanied by his wife and two children, paid homage to the holy place of Harmandir Sahib where the injustices of 1984 began.
In the news
News reports on the subject:
- Jarnail Singh, a journalist of the daily Dainik Jagran flung a shoe at Home Minister of India Mr P Chidambaram and made the Indian nation sit up in alarm.
Jarnail Singh, a Sikh himself says that his act may have been wrong but the cause remains real. Singh was upset like many in his community that the Congress Party had given a poll ticket to the accused of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The CBI had given a clean chit to Congressman Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, and this was followed by the court’s acquittal of the two.
- That makes many people ask: Who is Jarnail Singh? Is he a firebrand journalist, a staunch Sikh or the new poster boy of the Sikh community's campaign for justice? Just who is Jarnail Singh? Long before he made headlines as the man who hurled a shoe at the Home Minister, Jarnail Singh has cracked many stories on his beat - defence.
Award Pledged to Journalist
- Several Sikh organisations pledged a Rs 2 lakh "reward" for Jarnail Singh for his "heroism". "He has represented the agony and resentment of the community. For this, Sikh organisations have decided to honour him with Rs 2 lakh," said Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Akali Dal leader and municipal councillor. The Delhi unit of Shiromani Akali Dal, which initially said it would give Rs one lakh to the scribe as legal aid, later said it would "felicitate" him for the act. .
The Damdami Taksal Amritsar has also announced the reward and the 1984 riots affected people has put an amount of 5 lac on the shoe which was thrown.
Who is Jarnail Singh
Singh started off as a reporter in Amar Ujala after a diploma in journalism from the YMCA. The 35-year-old has been a correspondent with Dainik Jagran for over a decade. Friends and family say the agression Jarnail showed is unlike him.
“He is a very calm person and a very religious one too. He goes to Gurdwara every day. Must have been something that happened that place and time, that he was angered,” said Aman, a friend of the journalist, now mired in controversy. Jarnail Singh too felt he could have reacted differently. “I admit my method was wrong, but the sentiment was right. I do not wish that any journalist should behave in this manner,” said the journalist by his own admission.
Jarnail Singh Sacked
Jarnail Singh was sacked on Thursday, July 2, 2009 Wednesday, about three months after he threw a shoe at Union home minister P Chidambaram. Singh said the newspaper was under pressure from the United Progressive Alliance government and the Congress. "Why is Jagran terminating my services now?
The incident is three months old. They should have fired me then," said Singh. "They were waiting for the election results. Now, after the Congress came back to power, they have terminated me," he said.
