WSN Exclusive Report: Scholar-savant Giani Amrik Singh of Chandigarh brutally assaulted by Damdami Taksal supporters at Gurdwara Park Avenue, Southall, UK, leaving Sikhs across the world angry and perturbed. WSN learns that Singh Sabha Slough who had invited Giani Amrik Singh is pursuing police proceedings against the attackers.

The Sikh people lost a shade of civility and the Sikh spirit of tolerance shrunk further and reached its nadir when a group of diehard ultra-orthodox Sikhs, publicly proclaiming allegiance to the Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal in Punjab, cowardly assaulted Sikh preacher Giani Amrik Singh, who hails from Chandigarh and is applauded by Sikh congregations as a scholarly exponent of Sikh teachings as enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib.

Speaking to WSN on the phone line from London, Giani Amrik Singh said, “Yes, I was brutally assaulted but I am in Chardikala. We had a very good historic programme in Slough and I profusely talked about the struggle of 1978 and 1984. The organisers did an excellent job and it never crossed my mind that this would happen.”

“Exhorting the Sikh Sangat to rise up to such elements, Giani Amrik Singh said, “If the Sangat does not stop these people in the ranks, there will be more such incidents, which will put the whole community to disrepute. It is time to make cause with these people without any delay.””

Giani Amrik Singh was in the United Kingdom at the invitation of the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Slough. He was part of the many Sikh scholars and activists-Bhai Gurdev Singh of Australia from Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Nirwair Khalsa teammates from England and Bhai Ram Singh of the Damdami Taksal Jatha, not owing allegiance to Chowk Mehta’s Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, representatives of Akhand Kirtani Jatha and some members of the Missionary Colleges. They participated in the 2-day widely telecast over the UK from Singh Sabha Slough.

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WSN has reliably learnt that the congregations in the Gurdwara Sahib were organised to resolve differences amongst Sikh scholars and various groups. Giani Amrik Singh said, “The program was very good. Each group and personality respected the other. It was a unique event which could lead to resolving long-standing issues and concerns.”

On 7 May at around 11 am, when Giani Amrik Singh was making his way to the stage to start his sermons, an elderly Sikh stood up and shouted a few words, apparently, “You cannot speak here.” He then rushed to the microphone of the stage, where the stage secretary Gursharan Singh Mand was still speaking. Suddenly, the stage secretary asked Giani Amrik Singh to apologise for his sermons. Giani Amrik Singh politely refused and said, “If I have said anything wrong or libellous, prove it and I will apologise to the Gur Sangat.” Then-president Gurmail Singh Malhi and his team then asked  Giani Amrik Singh “to accompany them into an anteroom to discuss the issue.” It is clear that the whole episode was pre-planned and well-orchestrated whereas Giani Amrik Singh thought that he was going there “to further capitalise and enhance the good atmosphere” that had been built during the two-day programme in Slough.

“Yes, I was brutally assaulted but I am in Chardikala. We had a very good historic programme in Slough and I profusely talked about the struggle of 1978 and 1984. The organisers did an excellent job and it never crossed my mind that this would happen.”

Speaking to WSN on the phone line from London, Giani Amrik Singh

The orthodox culprits who attacked Giani Amrik Singh included among others Charan Singh Birmingham, Raghbir Singh of Awaz-e-Qaum and Paramjit Singh. Significantly, they are all elderly people and had absolutely no sense of shame while executing their cowardly act.  While attacking Giani Amrik Singh, away from the reach of the Sikh Sangat, they reportedly said, “Pin him down. Do not allow him to go scot-free.”

Though this was ostensibly done to avoid a scuffle in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib and to avoid misdemeanour amongst the devotees, the real reason was that these ultra-Sikh supremacists wanted to launch their cowardly attack away from the reach of the CCTV cameras. Giani Amrik Singh was beaten by fisticuffs, badly kicked and his turban was removed. Even then, tying his turban,  Giani Amrik Singh reached the anteroom. Obviously, the attackers did not reach the room and were showing shameful glee at removing the turban of the renowned scholar.

“Writing about the incident, Jagdeesh Singh of Kesri Lehar, UK has said, “ The thuggish attack on Parcharak Giani Amrik Singh once again reveals an enduring tumorous cancer within the Sikh community which manifests every so often.””

There has been widespread criticism of the attack and Panthic circles are seized with the situation, planning to take up the matter to the highest level.  This author had no replies to the queries of Giani Amrik Singh, “When will this stop? Who will bell the cat? Who will stop these people who for a very long time are spreading mayhem and disharmony in Sikh circles?

Writing about the incident, Jagdeesh Singh of Kesri Lehar, UK has said, “ The thuggish attack on Parcharak Giani Amrik Singh once again reveals an enduring tumorous cancer within the Sikh community which manifest every so often.”

Expressing personal pain and agony, he lamented, “I do not mind the beating, but removing my turban has really hurt me. I am a family man with sons and daughters and daughters-in-law. Facing them is not going to be easy.”

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Exhorting the Sikh Sangat to rise up to such elements, Giani Amrik Singh said, “If the Sangat does not stop these people in the ranks, there will be more such incidents, which will put the whole community to disrepute. It is time to make cause with these people without any delay.”

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