Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) installed the portrait of Dilawar Singh at the Central Sikh museum inside Golden Temple on Tuesday. Former Punjab Police officer Dilawar Singh had tied a belt of explosives around his waist, which led to the blast that killed the then CM Beant Singh and 16 others at the Punjab Civil Secretariat on the evening of August 31, 1995. KAMALDEEP SINGH BRAR explains why his portrait was put up at the museum after 27 later. Who was Dilawar Singh? Dilawar Singh was among the three Punjab Police constables, who had come in touch with Babar Khalsa International (BKI) and executed the plan to kill then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. Dilawar Singh, Balwant Singh Rajoana and Lakhwinder Singh committed the execution of Beant Singh on the instructions of BKI. While Balwant Singh Rajoana is awaiting his death sentence, Lakhwinder Singh has been served life sentence. Dilawar Singh was unmarried and his parents are in Canada. His brother Chamkaur Singh was president in SGPC function in which his portrait was installed. Why was he declared Qaumi Shaheed in 2012? The Akal Takht had declared Dilawar Singh Qaumi Shaheed on March 23, 2012. Rajoana was declared Jinda Shaheed (living martyr) on the same day. The move was part of a campaign to avoid the death sentence to Balwant Singh Rajoana which was fixed for March 31, 2012. Ultimately, Rajoana’s death sentence was deferred after wide spread protests across the state and is still on hold. The Akal Takht recognition to Dilawar Singh had given voice to the demand of Sikh bodies, including Dal Khalsa to install the portrait of Dilawar Singh at the museum. Why a delay of 10 years? SGPC president Harjinder Singh said, “Shaheed bhai Dilawar Singh had put an end to the atrocities and gross human right violations committed against the Sikhs by the then government. The decision of sacrificing himself is not possible without the Guru’s blessing and whenever atrocities are committed on the community, Sikhs have always made history by making sacrifices.” Explaining the delay in putting up the portrait, he added that the move to install the portrait has come ahead of the Sangrur bypoll in which Kamaldeep Kaur, the sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana, is contesting for the Shiromani Akali Dal, which controls the SGPC. Newsletter | Click to get the day's best explainers in your inbox The politics behind it Sources said that one of the reasons behind the delay in putting up the portrait is that Dilawar used to trim his beard. Besides, the alliance between the SAD and BJP also proved to be an obstacle. Now SAD is requesting Dilawar's family and friends to campaign for Kamaldeep Kaur in Sangrur and the portrait is another attempt to please the panthic vote bank, which the Akali Dal seem to have lost.
