Harbans Lal Khanna

Harbans Lal Khanna (died in 1984) was a BJP MLA and president of its Amritsar district branch in Punjab, India.

Biography

Khanna prominently led pro-smoking counter-demonstrations in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar, in response to the anti-smoking drives and demonstrations demanding holy-city status for Amritsar led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale prior to and during the Dharam Yudh Morcha, which was started jointly with the Shiromani Akali Dal.^[1] One of the slogans of Khanna's marches was "...bidi piyenge hum Shaan se jiyenge.”(We'll smoke cigarettes and live in pride)^[2]

While leading a procession against the Sikh effort to have holy city status granted to Amritsar,^[3] he had released slogans there on 30 May 1981, "Dukki tikki khehan nahin deni, sir te pagri rehan nahin deni; kachh, kara, kirpaan; ehnoon bhejo Pakistan." ("We are not going to let any second or third group exist, we are not going to let a turban remain on any head; the shorts, the iron bangle, the sword, send these to Pakistan").^[4][3][5]

On 14 February 1984, mobs led by Khanna gathered at as many as 56 places in Amritsar to engage in anti-Sikh desecrations. At the Amritsar Railway Station, a model of the Golden Temple was destroyed. A picture of Ram Das, the fourth Sikh guru, which had been on display for several years, was defaced beyond recognition, with feces and lit cigarettes rubbed into it.^[4] Carrying some of the pieces of the replica away, some Sikhs swore revenge.^[4]

He was shot by Sikh rebels in retaliation^[4] on April 2, 1984.^[6] The responsibility for the assassination was quickly claimed by a Sikh militant organization, the Dashmesh Regiment. After the assassination, there were clashes between Sikhs and Hindus, resulting in a Hindu temple being burned to the ground. ^[7] Surinder Singh Sodhi, Jarnail Singh’s right-hand man, has been accused of being the killer and so has Labh Singh.^[8][9]

At his funeral, innocent protesting Sikhs were fired upon by the CRP by the admission of its top officials, though reports were never rectified to reflect this.^[10]