It was the explosion that shattered a family, and a constituency. August 31, 1995, Baldev Singh, then sitting legislator from Pakka Kalan, was injured seriously in the human-bomb attack on chief minister Beant Singh at the secretariat in Chandigarh. He died on September 11 that year.
On the day of the blast, Baldev Singh had also gone to meet the CM about issues concerning his reserved constituency. His death not only robbed Pakka Kalan of a clean representative but also began the political segregation of his family.
"The Congress failed to pay us back for the sacrifice of my younger brother," said Seva Singh, elder of the four brothers, including Baldev. "It had agreed to raise his statue in Bathinda." The only remaining wish of Seva's father, freedom fighter Gian Singh, was not fulfilled in five-year term of the Congress government from 2002.
Baldev Singh was one of the most educated members of the Punjab assembly that time. He had a doctorate degree. "The family continued to serve the party after his death but its leaders didn't give us representation in the Congress," said Seva Singh. "We quit. The relatives of Beant Singh were accommodated in the party."
Seva Singh joined the Shiromani Akali Dal. "Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the SAD, gave due respect to the family," he said. Asked about his views on clemency for Rajoana, he said he couldn't comment.
Seva Singh joined the Shiromani Akali Dal. "Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the SAD, gave due respect to the family," he said. Asked about his views on clemency for Rajoana, he said he couldn't comment.