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Our Ithiaas has witnessed many assassins with amazing stories of faith, courage and revenge. Here are a few of them Bhai Mehtab Singh and Bhai Sukha Singh. After years persecution many Sikhs had left the cities and villages and started living in the forests and deserts. Governor of Lahore Zakhariya Khan appointed Massa Ranghar as head of Amritsar. Massa Ranghar made Harmandir Sahib into his palace and drank alcohol, used hukkah and had dancing girls. A band of Sikhs had left Punjab for Rajasthan and once the news of Massa Ranghars behavior reached them, two brave warriors Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Mehtab Singh set themselves the task of assassinating Ranghar. Disguising themselves as tax payers they entered Harmandir Sahib and cut his head off with a sword. They then put his head in a bag and traveled from Amritsar to Bikaner where they stuck his head on the end of a spear and presented it to the sangat. Shaheed Udham Singh. After Udham Singhs father passed away he was raised in a Sikh orphanage in Amritsar. At a young age he witnessed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre under General Dyer. Udham Singh traveled to England and assassinated Michael O'Dwyer who was the Governor of Punjab at the time of the massacre. Udham Singh was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Udham singh explained his motivation: I did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. He was the real culprit. He wanted to crush the spirit of my people, so I have crushed him. For full 21 years, I have been trying to seek vengeance. I am happy that I have done the job. I am not scared of death. I am dying for my country. I have seen my people starving in India under the British rule. I have protested against this, it was my duty. What greater honour could be bestowed on me than death for the sake of my motherland? Udham Singhs speech at his trial: He started the speech with a denunciation of British Imperialism: "I say down with British Imperialism. You say India do not have peace. We have only slavery Generations of so called civilisation has brought us everything filthy and degenerating. known to the human race. All you have to do is read your own history. If you have any human decency about you, you should die with shame. The brutality and blood thirsty way in which the so called intellectuals who call themselves rulers of civilisation in the world are <banned word filter activated> blood . . ." At this point he was interrupted by the judge, but after some discussion he continued: "I do not care about sentence of death. It means nothing at all. I do not care about dying or anything. I do not worry about it at all. I am dying for a purpose.’ Thumping the rail of the dock, he exclaimed, ‘We are suffering from the British Empire.’ Udham Singh continued more quietly. ‘I am not afraid to die. I am proud to die, to have to free my native land and I hope that when I am gone, I hope that in my place will come thousands of my countrymen to drive you dirty dogs out; to free my country. "I am standing before an English jury. I am in an English court. You people go to India and when you come back you are given a prize and put in the House of Commons. We come to England and we are sentenced to death.’ "I never meant anything; but I will take it. I do not care anything about it, but when you dirty dogs come to India there comes a time when you will be cleaned out of India. All your British Imperialism will be smashed.’ "Machine guns on the streets of India mow down thousands of poor women and children wherever your so-called flag of democracy and Christianity flies.’ "Your conduct, your conduct – I am talking about the British government. I have nothing against the English people at all. I have more English friends living in England than I have in India. I have great sympathy with the workers of England. I am against the Imperialist Government.’ "You people are suffering – workers. Everyone are suffering through these dirty dogs; these mad beasts. India is only slavery. Killing, mutilating and destroying – British Imperialism. People do not read about it in the papers. We know what is going on in India." At this point the judge refused to hear any more, but Singh continued: "You ask me what I have to say. I am saying it. Because you people are dirty. You do not want to hear from us what you are doing in India. He then thrust his glasses back into his pocket, and exclaimed three words in Hindustani and then shouted: 'Down with British Imperialism! Down with British dirty dogs!" He turned to leave the dock, spitting across the solicitor’s table. Shaheed Satwant Singh and Shaheed Beant Singh assassinated Indira Gandhi for her attack on Harmandir Sahib, both Singhs were her bodyguards. Beant Singh fired at Indira with his 38.revolver three times and she fell to the ground, Satwant Singh then fired at her thirty times with his Sten. Indira had thirty three bullets in her abdomen. Both Singh surrendered at the scene. Beant Singh was shot while in custody while Satwant Singh was sentenced to death in 1989. In trial Satwant Singh said: "Let any part of my body, after my shaheedi ["martyrdom"], removed and used by anyone who may need. However, if you need my eyes, let the authorities tell my parents. I have no hatred for any Hindu, Muslim, Christian, neither hatred for any religion. After my Shaheedi, let no Sikh throw any rock at any Hindu. I am not in favour of any retaliation or bloodshed over my Shaheedi. If we do create bloodshed, then there is no difference between us and Rajiv Gandhi. I am Proud of the task that I did! I do ardas [prayer] in front of Waheguru ! If I am blessed with a human life, then give me a death of the Brave when I am hanged. Forget one life, if I could I would give up a thousand lives to kill dushts [thugs] like Indira Gandhi, and laugh as I become Shaheed [a martyr] by hanging…." Kehar Singh the uncle of Satwant Singh was also hanged with his nephew in 1989 for plotting the assassination Shaheed Bhai Harjinder Singh Jinda and Shaheed Bhai Sukhjinder Singh Sukha were involved in 3 high profile assassinations. Assassination of Lalit Makkan. Lalit was a congress politician and was involved in the killing of innocent Sikhs in 1984. Both Singhs along with Ranjit Singh Gill gunned down Lalit in Delhi on July 31st 1985. Lalit started running towards his house for cover as the Singhs continued firing towards him. Lalits wife Geeta anjali and visitor Bal Kishan were also caught in the firing. The Singhs then escaped on their motorbike. Assassination of General Vaidya. General Arun Vaidya was the the chief of the Indian army who ordered the attack on Harmandir Sahib. Arun was shot dead on the August 10, 1989 while he was driving home from a market. Arun was in his car when he was shot dead by the two Singh who fired at him from their motorbike. Aruns wife who was in the car with him survived. Arun died on the spot with wounds to the head and neck. Assassination of Arjan Das. Arjan Das was a close friend of Rajiv Gandhi and had involvement in the Delhi 1984 riots. Arjan was assassinated by both Singhs on September 5, 1985. Sukhjinder Singh was arrested on 7th September 1986, while Harjinder Singh was arrested on March 1987. Both Singh were hanged on 9th October 1992. Shaheed Dilawar Singh Babbar assassinated Punjab Chief minister Beant Singh in Chandighar. Beant's regime was responsible for the death of thousands of innocent young Singhs in fake encounters. Dilawar Singh worked in Punjab police when he decided to join Babbar Khalsa. Beant was assassinated with a bomb blast in Chandigarh on the 31st of August 1995, he was blown up in his car. Dilawar Singh Babbar acted as a suicide bomber in the attack. The Backup Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana was later convicted for the killing.