Veteran communist revolutionary leader and member of the Central Committee of CPI(ML) for a long time, Com. Baldev Singh (popularly known as BD), died after a prolonged illness on September 5, 2002 in his village Unchapind Sanghol, Dist. Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab. Com. BD has been a renowned and established leader of the Naxalite movement and CPI(ML) not only in Punjab but at all-India level.

Com. Baldev Singh was born in 1939 at village Daleki of Dist. Sialkot (now in Pakistan). As a promising son of father S. Lakha Singh and mother Mrs. Harnam Kaur, Com. Baldev Singh passed matriculation and joined Indian Air Force.

The spark of Naxalbari had illuminated the path of revolution for the revolutionary communists of India who were organizing themselves into the  All Indian Coordination Committee of Communist Revolutionaries after breaking from CPM. During this period, Com. BD came in contact with Com. Daya Singh who was convenor of Punjab Coordination Committee of Communist Revolutionaries in 1968. Comradeship with Com. Daya Singh brought Com. BD to the fold of Naxalbari movement in Punjab at that time under the leadership of Coordination Committee.

Leading comrades of Ludhiana and Ropar district had launched the famous struggle of Birla Farm which had faced severe police repression. In retaliation for the police repression on comrades and people of the area, the famous attack on Chamkaur Sahib Police Station was conducted in which Com. BD participated. After this incident police resorted to more savage repression. Com. BD’s house was razed to ground, the pump-set in the field was dismantled and confiscated. People were asked not to plough his family land which remained uncultivated for many years. His family members were harassed and tortured.

Inspite of all this Com. BD continued his revolutionary journey undauntedly.

As problems grew in Punjab Provincial Committee of CPI(ML) majority of committees and comrades convened a plenum. This Plenum in February 1970 formed a joint committee to guide revolutionary work in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Com. Hakim Singh was its secretary and Com. BD was a member of Punjab-Himachal Provincial Committee of CPI(ML). During this period Com. BD worked in Kandi area of Dist. Hoshiarpur specially in Tehsil Garhshankar where he developed a widespread underground network of comrades, contacts and movement. Com. BD was re-elected to Punjab Himachal Provincial Committee in October 1970 in the provincial delegates conference.

After the arrest of Com. Hakim Singh in January 1971, Com. BD was elected as provincial secretary. He continued to shoulder this responsibility till 1983 when he was relieved due to his responsibilities of central work.

After the revival of Central Committee under the leadership of Com. Satya Narain Singh in November 1971, Com. BD was co-opted as a member of the Central Committee in 1972. He served as a member of the Central Committee for a fairly long period. He had worked with Com. Satya Narain Singh and Com. Chandra Pulla Reddy for a considerable period of time.

Com. BD made tireless efforts for building a powerful and sustained revolutionary movement and well-tempered CPI(ML) in the country. He made significant contribution in establishing revolutionary mass line fighting against ‘left’ adventurism and right opportunism. He made a very important contribution to the work of the Central Committee in the trying days of Emergency and the period preceding it. His contribution in nurturing younger general of communist revolutionaries in Punjab is unforgettable.

During the underground period of his activities Com. BD came in contact with Com. Amarjit Kaur and they became life partners doing revolutionary work.  Com. BD is survived by his wife Com. Amarjit Kaur, his daughter Jyoti and son Pradeep.

At the time of unification of Punjab State Committee, CPI(ML) and CPI(ML)-New Democracy, Com. BD joined CPI(ML)-New Democracy and remained its senior and respected leader till his end. Despite his serious illness for past few years, his commitment and desire to see the Indian revolution scale greater victories remained. His funeral was held on September 6, 2002 in which leaders and cadres of Punjab Provincial Committee participated and consoled the grieving family members, friends and people of the area.

Central Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy paid revolutionary homage to Central leader of CPI(ML) Com. Baldev Singh and sent its condolences to the bereaved family members. This tireless valiant fighter of new democratic revolution in India had stood firm as a rock in ideological and political matters in the Naxalite movement. In the revolutionary memory of Com. BD, Central Committee pledged to intensify its efforts for taking revolutionary movement to victory.

Punjab State Committee of CPI(ML)-New Democracy expressed its heartfelt and deep shock at the demise of Com. BD, expressed sympathy to the bereaved family and vowed to continue revolutionary work with more vigour and responsibility.