Jagjit Singh Chohan
| Jagjit Singh Chauhan | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 1929 Urmar Tanda, Punjab, British India |
| Died | April 4, 2007 Urmar Tanda, Hoshiarpur, Punjab (India), India |
Dr. Jagjit Singh Chauhan was the founder of the Khalistan movement that sought to create an independent Sikh state in the Punjab region of South Asia.
Jagjit Singh grew up in Tanda in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district, about 180 km from Chandigarh. A medical practitioner, Dr. Chauhan was first elected to the Punjab Assembly from the Tanda as a candidate of the Republican Party of India in 1967. He became Deputy Speaker when the Akali Dal-led coalition Government took office in Punjab. When Lachhman Singh Gill became Chief Minister, Chauhan was made Finance Minister. In 1969, he lost the Assembly election.
In 1971 he moved to the United Kingdom. In 1971, he went to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan to attempt to set up a Sikh government. He then visited USA at the invitation of some supporters. On Oct 13, 1971, he placed an advertisement in the New York Times proclaiming an Independent Sikh state. In 1977, he returned to India.
He migrated again to Britain in 1979. In London, Chauhan created an organization "Khalistan National Council" and ran its operation from a building termed "Khalistan House". He remained in contact with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Chauhan also maintained contacts among various groups in Canada, the USA and Germany. He visited Pakistan as a guest of leaders like Chaudhuri Zahoor Elahi. Chauhan declared himself president of the "Republic of Khalistan", named a Cabinet, and issued Khalistan "passports", "postage stamps" and "Khalistan dollars". It is reported that with the assistance of a wealthy Californian supporter, a peach magnate, he opened an Ecuadorean bank account to support his operation.
In June 1983, Bhindranwale was asked: "If Jagjit Singh Chauhan attacks India with assistance from England, America, and Canada, whom will you help?" Bhindranwale hedged and did not indicate his support.
On June 12, 1984, in London Chauhan was interviewed by BBC. The interviewer asked: "Do you actually want to see the downfall of Mrs Gandhi's Government?" Chauhan answered: "..within a few days you will have the news that Mrs Gandhi and her family have been beheaded. That is what Sikhs will do..". After this interview, Thatcher government curtailed Chauhan's activities. The British government also instructed him to confine his activities within the bounds of democracy and laws of the land.
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