Piara Singh Bhaniara (23 August 1958 – December 30, 2019)[1] also known asBaba Bhaniara (or Bhaniarawala), was aDalit religious leader fromPunjab, India. He established aSikh sect in the 1980s, which was opposed by mainline Khalsa Sikhs as insulting to their faith. In 2001, his followers published their own holy textBhavsagar Granth, and allegedly insulted the Sikh holy bookGuru Granth Sahib. This sparked violence against Bhaniara's followers. TheGovernment of PunjabbannedBhavsagar Granth, and arrested and jailed Bhaniara.[2]
Piara Singh Bhaniara was from the Dhamiana village ofRupnagar district. He was one of the 7 children of Tulsi Ram, a mason. Before becoming a religious leader, Bhaniara was working in asericulture farm in Asmanpur village, as a Class IV employee of the Punjab state'shorticulture department.[3]
Bhaniara's father served as the caretaker of twomazars (mausoleums ofSufi saints) located on the outskirts of Dhamiana. After his father's death, Bhaniara became the caretaker of these mazars. He started handing out medicines for various ailments, gaining recognition as a "baba" (holy father) with healing powers. He started to attract a lot of followers, most of whom wereMazhabi Sikhs. The visitors to hisdera included theIndian National Congress politicianButa Singh, who was India'sHome Minister at that time.[3] Buta Singh visited Bhaniara several times between 1985 and 1995 for healing of his wife Manjit Kaur, who was suffering from several problems of the heart, kidney, skin and lungs.[citation needed]
As Bhaniara's followers grew in numbers (600,000 according to police estimates), a number of politicians started visiting him for hishelp during elections. These politicians helped him build his 100+ acredera at Dhamiana.[3]
In 1998, thejathedar of the supreme Sikh religious bodyAkal Takhtexcommunicated Bhaniara, alleging that he was prone to say "nasty" things about Sikhism and its contemporary leaders.[3]
In the summer of 2000, a localgurudwara disallowed one of Bhaniara's followers from carrying the Sikh religious holy bookGuru Granth Sahib. This prompted Bhaniara's followers to write their own holy book (granth), resulting in the creation of theBhavsagar Samunder Amrit Vani Granth. Some Sikhs alleged thatBhavsagar Granth copied several portions from theGuru Granth Sahib, and that Bhaniara insultingly imitated theSikh GuruGobind Singh in several photos in the book.[3]
In 2001, Akal Takht summoned Bhaniara, intending to chastise him for his large following. However, Bhaniara rejected the summons, arguing that he had no reason to obey the Akal Takht, because they had excommunicated him three years earlier.[3]
In September 2001, during a religious ceremony organised by Bhaniara's followers, a newly-formed organisation called Khalsa Action Force attacked the function, seized theBhavsagar Granth and burned it. This was followed by several instances ofGuru Granth Sahib being burnt in the ruralgurudwaras of Punjab. ThePunjab Police arrested and presented before media some young men, who stated that they had burnedGuru Granth Sahib at the insistence of Bhaniara.[3]
The arrests sparked off violence against Bhaniara's followers. In October 2001, Bhaniara was arrested under theNational Security Act, and charged with several crimes. His followers were put in jail, where they were attacked with acid and knives by people claiming to be Sikhs. Some of Bhaniara'sderas were converted intoSGPC-administered gurudwaras. No action was taken against those who attacked Bhaniara's followers. Politicians who were associated with Bhaniara were punished by Akal Takht; many of them disavowed Bhaniara and asked for greater punishment to Bhaniara and his followers.[3]
TheParkash Singh Badal-led Punjab government bannedBhavsagar Granth and confiscated all its copies, arresting those who were found in possession of these copies. The print copy was probably destroyed by the police.[3] A 3-member SGPC committee published a 48-page report listing various acts ofsacrilege committed by Bhaniara's followers. It also indicted several politicians for patronising Bhaniara: these includedButa Singh,Joginder Singh Mann,Amrik Singh Aliwal,Gurdev Singh Badal and Kewal Badal. It also blamed severalNihang leaders for propagating Bhaniara's cult.[4]
In 2003, a man named Gopal Singh attempted to stab Bhaniara, when he was inAmbala to appear in the court in connection with his alleged involvement with the alleged burning of the copies ofGuru Granth Sahib.[citation needed]
Bhaniara was released in 2003, but theDistrict Magistrate of Rupnagar banned his entry into theRupnagar district, thus preventing him from visiting hisdera at Dhamiana. Bhaniara and his followers successfully challenged this ban in the court. The local administration ordered him not to organise large gatherings, but despite this, a large number of his followers continued visiting him on his birthday (23 August). There has been no further violence between Bhaniara's followers and the Sikhs, although in 2004, there were protests by Sikh organisations, when a gurudwara allowed Bhaniara's followers to carry a copy ofGuru Granth Sahib.[4] A member ofBabbar Khalsa, Gurdeep Singh Rana was arrested for trying to assassinate Bhaniara using a bomb in January 2005.[citation needed]
Bhaniara died on December 30, 2019, after developing chest pain and complaining suffocation, following which he was being taken to a hospital inMohali, but he died on the way inKharar.[5]
