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India Calls Him Murderer, He Gives Life
Balwant
Singh Rajoana shames death sentence
Panth and
Humanity sole claimants to my body after death;
donates eyes to Huzuri Ragi of Darbar Sahib, Amritsar
Jagmohan Singh
BURAIL (CHANDIGARH):
Every time, Kamaldeep Kaur looks into her brother’s eyes, she knows
such occasions will be few and far between. Balwant Singh Rajoana is
on the death row, convicted in Beant Singh murder case. But such is
his worldview that perhaps Kamaldeep may long have to live with
those eyes. Long after Balwant Singh hangs to the utter shame of
Indian justice system.
Rajoana’s Eyes.
Eyes that have seen untold atrocities against the Sikhs, eyes that
have seen the machinations of hegemonic brahaminical forces trying
to annihilate as well as assimilate the Sikhs, eyes that have rarely
dropped a tear, eyes that have always gleamed with pride in the
service of the Guru.
Rajoana’s eyes.
Eyes that will now shame even death. In the presence of his sister,
brother-in-law, nephew and the Deputy Superintendent of Model Jail,
Chandigarh,
(where he is lodged), Balwant Singh Rajoana has signed his
Will,
donating his eyes to the blind Hazuri Ragi Singh of Darbar Sahib
Harmandar Sahib, Bhai Lakhwinder Singh, on 17 June 2008. The
original Will
It was not a
spur of the moment decision. Rajoana, in fact, first wrote to the
Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib on June 5, explaining his wish.
This was followed by calls from personal attendant of the Jathedar
to the Deputy Superintendent of Jail, and thus he was granted
permission by the jail authorities.
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The Will of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana
Ik Onkar
Oh Kabir, there
is nothing of mine in this life
Whatever is there, is yours
If I surrender what is yours, unto Thee
What do I lose or pay?
Bhagat Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib
Accepting the Omnipresence of Akal Purakh (God Almighty), I
hereby swear on oath that after my death, all the parts of my
body, which can benefit any person, are pledged to the highest
temporal authority of the Sikhs, Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
It is my earnest wish that after my death, my eyes may kindly
be given to Hazuri Ragi of Sri Darbar Sahib Harmandar Sahib,
Bhai Lakhwinder Singh, who is blind, so that through him, my
eyes continue to revere holy Darbar Sahib. For medical or other
reasons, in case this is not possile, then my eyes may be given
to any other needy person.
In addition to this any other part of my body (heart, kidney
or any other) which can be beneficial to any other person, may
be given to that person.
I am writing this Will without any coercion or compulsion and
out of my own convictions and commitment and with the approval
of the members of my family.
I am happily making this Will in the presence of my sister
Kamaldeep Kaur, my brother in law Baljit Singh, my nephew
Ajaydeep Singh, my neice Harnoor Kaur, Superintendent of the
Model Jail Chandigarh, Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa ji, Medical
office, B. K. Salwan and other jail authorities.
Signed
Balwant Singh Rajoana
Countersigned
by
Kamaldeep Kaur
Baljit Singh
Ajaydeep Singh
Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa
Deputy Superintendent of Jails
17 June 2008
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In his
hand-written letter, sent to the Jathedar through the prison
authorities, Balwant Singh Rajoana said: “As you are aware, I have
been sentenced to death by an Indian court in the Beant Singh
assassination case. I have decided not to appeal against this order
and not to submit before this system.”
 He
said while he was waiting for his final call from the government of
India, he desired that “after my death, the vital organs of my body
(eyes, kidneys, heart and any other part that may be useful to any
other person) may be offered at Sri Akal Takht Sahib to be given to
those who may need them.” The idea was that the organs could be
donated to anyone as per the wishes of the Sikh community. Rajoana
had in fact made it clear right at the time of his conviction that
his body shall be donated.
Explaining
himself, he said that while watching the Kirtan programme on
television, the sight of a blind Hazuri Ragi inspired him to offer
his eyes, so that, “even after my death, (through the Ragi Singh) my
eyes continue to worship at holy Darbar Sahib.”
Speaking to the
World Sikh News, Kamaldeep Kaur, the sister of Balwant Singh,
informed that the will was signed in her presence. Her husband
Baljit Singh, her son Ajaideep Singh and Mr. Randhawa, the jail
deputy superintendent were also witness to the document.
In his
communiqué to the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh, he
has said that “every single part of my body” that could be of any
use to anyone in the service of the Panth and humanity could be used
accordingly.
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Parents of Balwant Singh Rajoana |
Dying is no act
of bravado, to be prepared to die for one’s convictions is
bravado par excellence. No university could have educated
Kamaldeep Kaur about this great truth, but Rajoana’s life has.
“Many people think that my brother wants to die. No. Like all living things he
also wants to live, but he does not want to cringe, he does not want
to dither from his Ardas, he does not want to love life at the cost
of his courage and the cause of the Khalsa Panth.” |
One only wonders
how many sisters who tie rakhi around their brother’s wrist across
India can
actually understand what Kamaldeep must be passing through. Or
perhaps every single one of them will understand, if only the Sikh
community ensures that the story of Rajoana’s Eyes be spread and
propagated all across the globe.
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Harpinder Singh Goldy
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Rajoana’s
sister about his decision
“Having lost
my brother Harpinder Singh Goldy to the Sikh struggle, I do not
want to lose another one, but at the same time I bow before his
decision not to appeal his sentence and not to submit to the
Indian system, which violates human rights of Sikhs. What he is
saying and doing is in the true traditions of the Sikhs...My
aged parents wanted a support system for themselves but they are
not selfish. They are proud of their son and his
commitment.”
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Eye Pledge Form |
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“By this act, I
think my brother will bring more respect to the Sikh community.”
There is no end to beautiful, heart-wrenching poetry about eyes, the
beauty of eyes, the power of eyes, eyes full of tears, eyes that
laugh, eyes that move hearts. But the saga of Rajoana’s Eyes will
remain perhaps unmatched, for which poet has ever written about the
power of eyes of a man condemned to death? Rajoana does not want to
shut his eyes to his Guru, to his brave Sikh nation, to the
machinations of its enemies, to the great ideal of Sarbat Da
Bhala.
Beant Singh’s
eyes were always covered with trademark black-tinted glasses, even
during broad daylight. Those were eyes that could not handle shame,
for more were dying under Beant Singh’s jackboots than a human heart
could bear to see. Now, Rajoana’s Eyes will ensure that the
line between a life spent in Guru’s sewa and a death courted for
one’s principles shall stand merged.
Even the most
ungrateful would hold him in awe and respect.
Rajoana’s
seven-year-old nephew, Ajaydeep Singh, was told about the reasons
for which Rajoana was in prison, the contents of his will of June 17
and the possibility of him climbing the scaffolding ladder with a
noose around his neck. “Tell Mamaji, I will never forget him. I will
remember him for all my life.” Little kid of the Sikh Nation, you
will not be alone. Rajoana’s Eyes will see that the Sikh Nation will
never forget him. And the story of Rajoana’s Eyes will live on long
after those eyes stop shining.
2
July, 2008
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