Truth of so-called* *Damdami Taksaal* *(Jatha Bhindran-Mehta)*                                                                                             (Part 2)
By Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer.  
     Once the Sikh youth and the Sikh elite accepted Bhindranwala as their leader he became emotionally involved in the Sikh national movement; now he was not a cult leader but a *Lok Nayak** *(hero of the masses) of the Sikh mainstream; and, due to the manoeuvrings of the Intelligence Agencies the Movement went on turning more and more serious as well as complicated; and in this scenario Bhindranwala resolved to fight for the Sikhs  rights; he swore not to backtrack or run away from the field.
   During this period Indira Gandhi decided to attack Darbar Sahib in order to get lion s share of Hindu votes and under this planning she operated a movement of terror in the Punjab; Giani Jarnail Singh had nothing to do with the terrorist actions which were in fact were acts committed by the Third Agency of the Indira Gandhi; however, when he and General Subeg Singh got information about Indira Gandhi s planning they decided to create history by giving an unforgettable reply to the intentions of Indira Gandhi; Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala and Subeg Singh accomplished what he had proclaimed; and, this battle exalted them (Bhindranwala and Subeg Singh) to the status of the greatest war heroes of the past two centuries of the Sikhs  history.
   The third role of Jatha Bhindran-Mehta began after 1985 when it, with the help of Sikh youth, led a militant campaign; in the struggle for Khalistan, major role was played by the activists of this Jatha, Babar Khalsa (established by Jathedar Talwinder Singh) and its second faction (under the command of Sukhdev Singh Babar, which became much more powerful after 1986). At that time Thakar Singh was the caretaker of the Chowk Mehta Dera; he was an illiterate and simple man whom any one could lead and mislead; he was, however, a show-piece and the major role was played by Mohkam Singh, Gurbachan Singh Manochahal, Manbir Singh Chaheru, Gurnam Singh Bundala etc; these people knew that Thakar Singh was a simple person so they did not declare him as chief of the Jatha; at first they presented him as the caretaker of the Dera but later they declared him as Acting Chief of Jatha Bhindran-Mehta.
During all this time all of them continued asserting that Giani Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala did not die during the attack by Indian Army in June 1984; even in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib they would declare that they were in touch with Giani Jarnail Singh; this was sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. So much so that when one very active Sikh youth, a valuable asset of their group asserted that Bhindranwala embraced martyrdom, he was killed by Gurnam Singh Bundala in cold blood; this killing gave him a new name * Jallad * (literally: executioner). By the September 1992 most of the militant leaders of the Khalistan Movement had been killed by the police in fake encounters.
    The fourth role of this Jatha began in 1992. On the 14th of October 1992, K.P. Gill the police chief visited Chowk Mehta Dera and held secret meeting with Thakar Singh, Mohkam Singh and Harnam Singh Dhumma etc. Sarup Singh, a lecturer in the Evening College of the Panjab University Chandigarh, who was one of the closest friends of K.P. Gill, mediated friendship between the police chief and the Chowk Mehta Dera officials. After this Harnam Singh Dhumma became friendly first with K.P. Gill and through him he made understanding with the Indian Intelligence Agency and finally the RSS.
  Thakar Singh died in 2004 and the Indian Intelligence brought Harnam Singh Dhumma (who had become a citizen of the USA by that time) to India[6] and on the 2nd of January 2005 he was installed as the chief of the Jatha through Jasbir Singh Rode (an agent of the central agencies).[7] Those who were present at Chowk Mehta to attend the ceremony of installation of Harnam Singh Dhumma included Sarbjot Singh Bedi (President, Sant Samaj), Simranjit Singh Mann (President SAD Amritsar), Mohkam Singh, Sucha Singh Chhotepur MLA, Dr Jagjit Singh Chauhan, Harcharan Singh Dhami (President Dal Khalsa), Bhai Ranjit Singh (former caretaker of Akal Takht), Karnail Singh Panjauli, Wassan Singh Zafarwal.[8]
On the other hand, on the same day, Ram Singh, a nephew of Giani Kartar Singh (predecessor of Giani Jarnail Singh), declared himself as the new chief of Bhindran-Mehta Jatha (earlier he had served as*granthi* in Darbar Sahib but has resigned when he was transferred to Jind); all the five major priests, Awtar Singh Makkar (president SGPC) and other senior leaders of Badal Akali Dal attended his installation ceremony in Gurdwara Gurshabad Parkash at village Sangrai (near Batala).[9]
As the chief of this Jatha, Harnam Singh Dhumma first exhibited himself as an anti-Badal person, developed relations with radical Akalis but soon, under instructions from the Intelligence Agencies he began changing his stance; and, within just 13 months he had secretly shook hands with Badal;[10] the first revelation of this new relationship came to surface on the 26th of February 2006 when he chaired * Virsa Sambhal Sammelan *;[11] this gathering had been arranged in collaboration with Ravi Inder Singh, Surjit Barnala s supporters, Parmjit Singh Sarna, Ranjit Singh Dhadarianwala and other anti-Badal Akalis, but, in this function Lakhbir did not say even a single word against Badal; in fact they (the organisers) did not know that he (Harnam Singh) had already established secret liaison with Badal. In the middle of this function Ravi Inder Singh and Surjit Barnala group smelt the conspiracy and left the stage before the passing of the resolutions;[12] open declaration of union between Badal and Harnam Dhumma was announced in August 2011 when both joined hands to contest the SGPC as one group.
Another major *dera* had been established by Giani *Amir Singh* (1870-1954) at *Gali Sattowali Amritsar*; Amir Singh was succeeded by Giani Kirpal Singh (1918-1993); the latter had also served as caretaker of Akal Takht; he was detested by the Sikhs for his collaboration with the Indian regime after the latter s attack on Darbar Sahib and destruction of the building of Akal Takht in June 1984.*Sucha Singh* (1948-2002), another student of this *dera*, also established a *dera* at* **Jawaddi* (near Ludhiana).

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