CHANDIGARH, Punjab—The 25th martyrdom anniversary of human rights activist S. Jaswant Singh Khalra who attained martyrdom while fighting brutality and atrocities committed by Indian Police in Punjab on the Sikh youths, was observed at Gurdwara Sahib at Kabir Park locality here today.After bhog ceremony of Akhand Path, kirtan and ardas was held in memory of S. Jaswant Singh Khalra. Various Sikh leaders also paid him tribute by remembering his supreme sacrifice and various deeds towards the work of human rights.
    On the occasion, Khalra Mission Organization (KMO), an organization that is working as human rights advocacy group under the leadership of Bhai Khalra’s wife Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra, appealed to the Sikhs to sever ties with those who attacked Akal Takht Sahib in 1984, played role in sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab and the Hindutva forces.
  However, no leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) turned up on the occasion to commemorate Bhai Khalra who remained in charge of its human rights wing till his last breath.Meanwhile, in a video message, Giani Harpreet Singh, SGPC-appointed acting jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib, paid tribute to him stating that he is a great martyr and precious gem of the Sikh nation.
  “By risking his life, he uncovered grave sins of the Indian government. On the orders of the Indian government, its security forces tortured innocent Sikh youths, children, women, and even elderly persons to death mercilessly. The deceased persons were cremated tagging them as unidentified dead bodies. Without taking care of his life, Shaheed Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra started collecting the evidence of those killed by Police on a mass level. He brought the truth of nearly 25000 such unidentified dead bodies to fore”, said Giani Harpreet Singh.
  He added, “Khalra also raised this matter before the international community. Today is the day when the merciless government killed him 25 years ago. Commemorating his shaheedi divas, I would like to alert the entire community that the same policies for the Sikhs are being followed in India. The aim of these policies is to eliminate the Sikhs. Only the methods have changed. Prior to this, Sikhs were gunned down or tortured to death. Now, they are being murdered by making them fight against each other. Secondly, they are being made intellectually poor. So, it is time for the community to be conscious.
  ”On the other hand, five Canadian cities —Burnaby, New Westminster, Brampton, Surrey, City of Victoria declared September 6 as ‘Jaswant Singh Khalra Day’ to commemorate the human rights activist.
Khalra Week Commoration a Massive Success
  In addition, an online week-long commemoration was held to honor Bhai Khalra’s life, during which a number of legal panels took place. Artists also submitted various pieces such as poetry, paintings, music, dhadi vaars, etc. to remember the life of Shaheed Bhai Khalra. A documentary “Claiming the Unclaimed” was also played live during the remote Khalra Week.
  On the last day of Khalra Week, kirtan was held by a family from Seattle and a Sikh Youth from Ontario. Later, another panel took place which was joined by Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra’s daughter Navkiran Kaur, human rights activist Mallika Kaur, senior and renowned Punjab and High Court advocate Rajvinder Singh Bains, and Satnam Singh Bains, another prominent lawyer, and activist.
   Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra exposed the truth of the mass level extrajudicial killings Punjab witnessed during the period of Sikh struggle for the right to self-determination. He also drew the attention to the International community towards these sins of the Indian state when he delivered speeches in Canada and the UK.