Sukhdev Singh Jalwehra: Difference between revisions

Sukhdev receiving Saropa for dedication to Panth.

Sukhdev Singh Jalwehra, born April 1st, 1955 in Daroli Khurd, Punjab, is a Sikh separatist and writer. He belongs to a Doad Rajput Sikh family of Punjab. Originally his parents were from a little village in Punjab, Jalwehra. He passed matriculation from Public High School, Panchhat-Narur, district Kapurthala under the auspices of the Panjab University, Chandigarh. At the age of 18 , he joined the army as an electro-mechanical engineer (core EME, electrician trade). He was Electrician Class One, Map reading Class One, Driver Class Three, English class three and Hindi class three, etc. His rank, trade and army number were CFN/elect. 7111631. And after 9 years, he was discharged. At the age of 27, he joined the Delhi Police. In July 1979, he passed diploma of "Television Technology" from Nitma institute, Connaught Place, New Delhi under the Ministry of the Defence. In 1979 he was stationed at Delhi Police's 3rd Batalion's B company, New Police Line, Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar as a constable and was having the belt number 2394 D.A.P. In 1979 he toured the world visiting: Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland and Germany, where he stayed from 1980 'till 1982. After that he returned to India where he joined the Babbar Khalsa International (Parmar faction).

Relations

He was related to top-militants such as Manjeet Singh Babbar (his cousin brother) and Talwinder Singh Babbar (whose wife is Manjeet Singh's wife's niece).

Migration to Belgium and problems he faced

In May 1985, Sukhdev migrated to Belgium where he got the help of Amnesty International in fighting his case, which he won, for political asylum. He was the first Sikh to win a stay as a political refugee, anywhere in the world, vis a vis the crackdown in Punjab on Sikhs militants fighting for Khalistan. He took permission from Jagjit Singh Chauhan, and opened an International Council of Khalistan Branch in Belgium (and also the Khalistan House) serving as its General Secretary. Going for his drivers license he ran up against the country's policies regarding picture IDs (on Driver licenses or Passports) which allowed no head coverings, hats or turbans. Sikhs had to remove their turban before being photographed. Being the first Sikh in Belgium who wore his turban in keeping with the tenants of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, he fought a case against the rules and won, after which Sikhs where allowed to wear their turbans on photos for Belgian driving licences and passports.

Actions in Belgium

He organized demonstrations each year on Februay 21, beginning in 1986, along with 70 other Belgian Sikhs, which continued for another 19 years. The demonstrations included raising slogans against the atrocities committed by the Indian government and in favour of Khalistan and its militants. At the end of the demonstartions the Indian flag - the Tiranga was burnt in front of the Indian Embassy. Each year he had got the permission to do a demonstration before the Indian Embassy in Belgium.

A cover of SS Jalwehra's book.

Hijacker Manjeet Singh Babbar was his cousin-brother. Manjeet asked Sukhdev to to rejoin the Babbar Khalsa many times. Finally in 1990, Sukhdev rejoined the Babbar Khalsa Parmar faction. On 15th August 1990, he opened a BKI office in Belgium and became its president. In 1993, when the Belgian King Baudouin I of Belgium died, Jalwehra went to the palace of the King along with some other Sikhs as the represenative of the whole Belgian Sikh community.

He opened his own Khalistan House, in 1987, and started working for a Khalistan independantly.

In November 1992, Ajaib Singh Bagri visited Belgium. He swore Sukhdev in as the leader of the whole Babbar Khalsa wing of Europe.

In 2005, he published a map of Khalistan that is believed to be the most complete map of Khalistan (according to Sikh history) ever.

In 2007, he became the Belgian advicer to Gurmit Singh Aulakh of the Council of Khalistan.

Sukhdev Singh Jalwerha has written a throughly researched book on the history of the Sikh mother land. The book, which took him 7 years to complete, is entitled "History of Sikh Mother Land" (Sikh Kaum Di Janam Bhumi Da Itihas. The first edition was out in June 2008.