Fortifications Done By The Singhs

[singh_bling]

did baba gurbaksh singh take the fight outside the complex or did he fortyfy the akaal thakat?

[Guest confusingh]

playing devil's advocate:

why did they feel it necessary to fortify the complex? It obviously didn't take them a few minutes and was a planned thing.

We should not be afraid to ask questions as to why they felt it necessary to fortify the house of God?? ... the only logical answer is that they fully realised that there would be an onslaught and they would need to be protected??

Thoughts please?

Not many people here are going to understand what you mean by 'playing devils advocate' lol...

The point is ultimately it was a point of revolution, look at past history of military revolutions strategic plans are made and put forward to push towards gaining grounds...this was Sant Jarnail Singh's ground. The GOI were well aware of what they wanted to do, and Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa was also well aware of this, there are people who are saying Bhindranwale had nothing to do with politics, if you still think this seriously wake up... all of our Gurus and shaheed leaders within the panth were politically aware, if they weren't we wouldn't be here...so its not a bad thing, Bhindranwale has no political loyalties, but he was intelligent in an unorthodox way he was aware of circumstances, poltical tensions and knew how to use these to the best interests of the Sikh Panth.

I personally don't question why to fortify Harmandir Sahib, although nobody on here can seem to give you a proper answer... Ideally, if the Indian Govt. wanted Sant Jarnail Singh Ji dead, they would have angered only lets say half of the people they did after Blue star, because there are alot of mish mash Singhs who want to sit on the fence... but through the disregard of sentiment for our religion they decided to pursue a complete washout.

Strategically speaking, IF Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa was to give up the movement and walk out of the Harmadir Sahib complex I think everybody was well aware the revolution was over (in fact look at the state of the panth now, no Taksal leader now could ever come close to what Sant Jarnail Singh ji did before his shaheedi he was exraordinary not just a bhagti man, he portrayed Miri and Piri and inspired us how to live, the Taksal can't ever dream to do this as he did whilst leader)...

Sant Jarnail Singh was also heavily influence by General Shubheg Singh, and the two obviously did question whether the GOI would keep respect and enter the Harmandir Sahib Ji Complex...It was obvious as the army and police officials were closing in slowly, after gaining grounds and setting up base a couple of hundred miles away that the Army were monitoring what was going on, fortifications were made by about Diwali time, and it was claimed by GOI that the men of Bhindranwale were sneaking in and out of Harmandir Sahib, commiting crimes and regarded themselves as untouchable... This isn't necessarily true. The home minister DID say no armed forces would enter Harmandir Sahib ... a promise which was later broken.

The fortifications were simply more of a message... 'if you want it, you'll have to fight for it' ... and ok there is great doubt whether this should have been within the Harmandir Sahib ji, but I believe the fact that a country's govt is so willing to step foot run in and kill whoever they want in our holiest of Gurdwaras, our Vatican, then that shows complete disregard and in fatc is more of a political message than the fortifications... 'We don't care about your religion' , ultimately, if Jarnail Singh Ji didn't fortify Harmandir Sahib, then the fight would have lasted about 5 or 10 minutes, by doing so the Singhs were able to give back as much as they got. Ultimately therefore there was a need to fortify, firstly to limit internal damage, secondly to provide Singhs with a platform to fight back if need be, you didn't hear of bombings of Govt. buildings etc. which was a clear indication as to who was going to start the violence, it wasn't the Singhs, all the Singhs did was fortify to protect and provide a platform for responsive combat.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

did baba gurbaksh singh take the fight outside the complex or did he fortyfy the akaal thakat?

That doesn't give the guy a conclusive answer lol, you could say that about loads of stuff and the question would be left unanswered every time.

[Mahakal]

I understand "Devils Advocate" but it seems to be asked by someone who already has an opinion, and it isn't one of a devils advocate but more of someone who doesn't agree with the action the Singhs took.

[singh_bling]

has the akaal takaht ever been used as a fort before 84?

[Mahakal]

Yes it has, and so therefore no problem with what the Singhs did. As mentioned just because they knew it was going to happen doesn't mean they could avoid it by "moving" the fight.

Sant Ji offered himself for arrest two weeks prior but GOI did not take it up, and they let him go.

Their aim was simple to eradicate Sikhi and Khalsa - But Khalsa is Akal Purakh Ki Fauj and Khalsa will have Raj, so their aim was pointless

[singh_bling]

Yes it has, and so therefore no problem with what the Singhs did. As mentioned just because they knew it was going to happen doesn't mean they could avoid it by "moving" the fight.

Sant Ji offered himself for arrest two weeks prior but GOI did not take it up, and they let him go.

Their aim was simple to eradicate Sikhi and Khalsa - But Khalsa is Akal Purakh Ki Fauj and Khalsa will have Raj, so their aim was pointless

when was it fortified before?

[Mahakal]

Around the Takht Sahib itself, a building was built which was referred to as the Akal Bunga, the Akal Bunga, upon Hukam of Miri Piri de Malik, Sahib Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji Maharaj was to house the weapons and arms that he told His Sikhs to donate instead of money etc

[Matheen]

Through a few Sikhs in the military, it was discovered that, for political reasons, Harmandir Sahib was to be invaded regardless of who was there or not. That is the only reason the fortifications were put up - and they were mostly bricks or sand bags, nothing major. The army was looking for excuses for their incompetance and tried to make out that the Singhs had modern guns and that the fortifications were major.

Sant Ji would not have been released without charge if the govt was soleley after him, and they would have taken him up on his offer to be arrested.

If you know you are going to be attacked, it's best to prepare for it.

[+Singh_is_King+]

All major panthic campaigns have historically started at the Akal Takhat Sahib in Amritsar. This includes everything from the Panthic desicion to take the city of Lahore in the 18th century as a safeguard against invasion right through to the Sikh Gurdwara reform movements, Guru Ka Bagh, Jaito morchas etc against the gorai, Sikh-centered independence movements, and the campaign for Punjabi Suba in the 70s

The Harimandir Sahib complex and Akal Takhat has always been the centre of Sikh spiritual and political affairs. All spiritual and political desicions that concern the Panth have been taken from there. That is why successive regimes have sought to destroy the Harimandir Sahib and Akal Takhat Sahib 7 times throughout Sikh history, because of its importance. It has been completely destroyed about three times. Sikhs have fortified it on more than one occasion, including against Abdali's attacks, they built a fort next to Akal Takhat called Ram Rauni.

The Dharam Yudh Morcha (based from Akal Takhat Sahib) was a Panthic campaign in the late 70s and 80s in which Sikhs peacefuly campagined for the implementation of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, a paper document which listed demands that would benefit Sikhs and other Punjabis spiritually, politically, socially and economically.

Both the Akalis and Sant Bhindranwale were proponents of the Resolution, however, the Akalis began to falter in their resolve so Sant Bhindranwale gave them a kick up the backside and took the lead in the Dharam Yudh Morcha, which was organised from the Akal Takhat Sahib.

The Indian Government tried many methods to try and sabotage the Dharam Yudh Morcha. This included provoking the Sikhs into armed conflict by attacking, killing Sikhs, beadbi of SGGS and trying to blame Sant Bhindranwale for undertaking criminal activities. The Sikhs leading the Morcha were at direct risk from the security forces and had to arm themselves and fortify the complex. This was less for their own safety and more for the fact that it was vital that the morcha continued to operate and guide the Sikh kaum as to what should happen.

They knew that support for the Sikh campaign was so great that the only way they could stop Sikhs from exercising their soverignety was to stop the Dharam Yudh Morcha altogether by killing Sant Jarnail Singh. They used media powers and propoganda to create an environment in which it would be justified to storm the Harimandir sahib complex and kill the Singhs inside who were leading the Morcha

Out of principle, Jarnail Singh stayed in the Akal takht Sahib and Harimandir Sahib complex because he knew that nothing could/should compromise the Sikh requirement to gather there, pass gurmattas for the Panth, and act as the source of political and spiritual guidance for the Sikh kaum, regardless of whether or not the Indian Government approved of it.

Sant Bhindranwale was a man of principles, so nothing would deter him, not even death. If he had left the complex, the Sikh kaum would have viewed that as an act of surrender and he would have lost all respect. It would also have undermined the importance of Akal Takhat Shaib as being the the supreme temporal authority for all Sikhs that must be obeyed at all costs.

Sikhs have always historically gathered there and governed themselves. Nothing can ever stop us from doing that and we do not need anyones permission to do so.

In summary,

Yes the Sikhs were aware that an attack might take place on Harimandir Sahib and attempt to sabotage the Dharam Yudh Morcha which represented the whole Panth. Yes the Sikhs had every right to be there and Yes they had the right to defend themselves, the complex and the morcha itself with weapons and fortifications.

[lodi_my_dodi]

Sikhs are a warrior race where they set up camp is their fort.

The original poster seems to be trying to say that it was the Singhs fault that Harimander Sahib got attacked. The point is simultaneously other Gurdware were also attacked, so this attack was on Sikhi on the Panth not on individuals.