Indira's killers hailed as martyrs in NZ gurdwara

Satwant Singh and Beant Singh -- the two men who killed then prime minister Indira Gandhi -- are being hailed as 'martyrs' in New Zealand's largest gurdwara.

Titled 'Shaheed Bhai' -- or martyr brothers -- the paintings of Satwant and Beant along with Kehar Singh, who was the co-conspirator, hang on the walls of the Takanini gurdwara alongside others who have been killed for their Sikh beliefs, the Weekend Herald reported.

It said an inquiry by it has found images of the trio, involved in the shooting of Indira Gandhi, are honoured as martyrs in the Sikh gurdwara in Manukau, New Zealand.

Satwant and Beant, both bodyguards of the then Indian prime minister, fired more than 30 bullets into Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

The photographs have divided the Sikh community in Auckland -- and upset others in the Indian community. But few were willing to speak publicly on the matter, the report said. A spokesman for Indian High Commissioner Sureesh Mehta said he was unavailable for comment but added that the issue was 'sensitive'.

Veer Khar, general secretary of the NZ Indian Central Association, said the organisation had strived to build a strong relationship between the two countries.

"If someone wants to honour a terrorist, that's an individual choice. But to put them up in a public place, as a community, we totally condemn such an activity," said Khar.