Nearly 31 years after the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, death-row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana has brought the state’s violent past back into political focus. Rajoana’s tribute to his associate Dilawar Singh, calling him a ‘Quomi Shaheed’, was published through newspaper advertisements issued on his behalf by his sister on Monday.
Rajoana’s Tribute to Dilawar Singh as ‘Quomi Shaheed’
The advertisements mark a significant moment in Punjab’s political discourse. Rajoana, who is lodged in Patiala Central Jail, was convicted in the 1995 assassination case. In that attack, Dilawar Singh, a former Punjab Police constable, acted as the suicide bomber. Rajoana served as the back-up bomber in the operation.
The term ‘Quomi Shaheed’ reflects an interpretation of the militancy era in the state, which fought hard for two decades to eradicate militancy. The tribute has now reopened questions about how that period is remembered and discussed in public life.
Political Significance of the Timing
The timing of the tribute is significant. It comes as Punjab continues to grapple with the legacy of the militancy years. Rajoana was sentenced to death for the assassination of the former chief minister and 17 others. His continued status as a convict, and now this public tribute, has placed the spotlight back on the events of the 1990s.
The use of the term ‘Quomi Shaheed’ — which translates to ‘national martyr’ — is particularly striking. It directly challenges the official narrative that treated the militancy era as a criminal insurgency that needed to be crushed. For many in Punjab, the term carries deep emotional weight, while for others it remains a painful reminder of the violence that claimed many lives.
Punjab’s Violent Past Returns to Political Discourse
This development has brought Punjab’s violent past back into political focus. The assassination of Beant Singh was one of the most consequential events in the state’s modern history. The fact that a convicted figure in that case is now publicly honouring his associate as a martyr signals that the wounds from that era have not fully healed.
The advertisements also raise questions about the ongoing legal status of Rajoana. As a death-row convict, his case has been the subject of repeated legal and political debates. This tribute adds another layer to that ongoing conversation.
Our Take: A Reminder That Punjab’s History Remains Unsettled
In our view, this tribute is more than just a personal gesture from a convict. It is a clear signal that the interpretation of Punjab’s militancy era remains deeply contested. The term ‘Quomi Shaheed’ is not neutral language — it is a deliberate political statement that challenges the state’s official account of those years.
To put it plainly, this development forces Punjab’s political class to confront a question it has often avoided: how should the state remember the men who carried out the assassination of a sitting chief minister? For the families of the 17 others who died in that blast, the tribute will be deeply painful. For those who sympathise with Rajoana’s cause, it is a validation of their own reading of history.
What is clear is that nearly 31 years later, the violence of the 1990s has not faded from public memory. This tribute ensures that Punjab’s violent past remains a live political issue — one that will not be easily resolved.
