IJSA December 2008

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

IJSA December 2008 THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SIKH AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 2008 Volume 18 No. 2 Published By: The Sikh Educational Trust Box 60246 University of Alberta Postal Outlet EDMONTON, Alberta CANADA ISSN 1481-5435 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/IntJSA INTERNATIONAL JOURNA L OF SIKH AFFAIRS Editorial Board Founded by: Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer Editorial Advisors Dr S S Dhami, MD Dr B S Samagh Dr Surjit Singh Prof Gurtej Singh, IAS Dr R S Dhadli New York, USA Ottawa, CANADA Williamsville, NY Chandigarh Troy, USA J S Dhillon “Arshi” M S Randhawa Usman Khalid Dr Sukhjit Kaur Gill Gurmit Singh Khalsa MALAYSIA Ft. Lauderdale, FL Editor, LISA Journal Chandigarh AUSTRALIA Dr Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke PUNJAB Managing Editor and Acting Editor in Chief: Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon The Sikh Educational Trust Box 60246, University of Alberta Postal Outlet EDMONTON, AB T6G 2S5 CANADA E-mail:<[email protected]> NOTE: Views presented by the authors in their contributions in the journal are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editor in Chief, the Editorial Advisors, or the publisher. SUBCRIPTION: US$75.00 per anum plus 6% GST plus postage and handling (by surface mail) for institutions and multiple users. Personal copies: US$25.00 plus &% GST plus postage and handling (surface mail). Orders for the current and forthcoming issues may be placed with the Sikh Educational Trust, Box 60246, Univ of AB Postal Outlet, EDMONTON, AB T6G 2S5 CANADA. E-mail: [email protected] The Sikh Leaders, Freedom Fighters and Intellectuals To bring an end to tyranny it is a must to punish the terrorist -Baba (General) Banda Singh Bahadar Sikhs have only two options: slavery of the Hindus or struggle for their lost sovereignty and freedom -Sirdar Kapur Singh, ICS, MP, MLA and National Professor of Sikhism I am not afraid of physical death; moral death is death in reality Saint-soldier Jarnail Singh Khalsa Martyrdom is our orn a m e n t -Bhai Awtar Singh Brahma (General) We do not fear the terrorist Hindu regime. We are tireless: we shall return home before freedom of Khalistan -General Labh SinghThe coward Hindu regime will never achieve our surrender -Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahal One must have superior morality and lifestyle than the person he is going to punish -Bhai Harjinder Singh Jinda and Bhai Sukhdev Singh Sukha My real life will begin from the moment of my martyrdom for the Panth Bhai Amrik Singh Khalsa The siege of Darbar Sahib is the siege of the Sikh Nation -Justice Ajit Singh Bains No power on the earth can stop the freedom of the Sikh Homeland - -Simranjit Singh Mann, MP Even they dismember my body, I will not surrender before the terrorist police chief KP Gill -Bhai Kanwar Singh Dhami We are alive, we are awakened, we are struggling and we shall surely win -The Declaration of the Sikh NationThe lessons of Guru Gobind Singh ji must be followed. No Sikh, whether a politician, sarpanch or jathedar, should be followed if they do not openly and unequivocally speak out for a free and sovereign Khalistan and encourage a peaceful movement --Dr Gurmit Singh, President, Council of Khalistan, Washington DC The goal of Khalsa Panth is sovereign Khalistan. The Akali government has backed away from it. It has lost its credibility with the Sikh Nation. Do not let these Akali leaders get away with it. It is our responsibility to liberate Khalistan.-Dr Gurmit Singh AulakhFreedom is never given, it is won through preservance and struggle by peaceful means -Dr Gurmit Singh Aulakh A k a l i P a r t y i d d e a d -Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer The top priority of the Sikh Nation is to “Re-establish the Sovereignty of the Sikhs’ Holy and Historic Homeland, Punjab, Khalistan, by peaceful means.” -Dr Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan, Washington DC PRINTEDIN CANADA ISSN 1481-5435 i INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SIKH AFFAIRS Contents Khalistan: Dr Sekhon briefs the Government of Belgium and the Belgium news media Awatar Singh Sekhon 1 Traitors of the Guru Khalsa Panth, The Sikh Nation, Punjab (under the occupation…. Awatar Singh Sekhon 3 The biggest danger to India alias the alleged Indian democracy Awatar Singh Sekhon 4 Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon replies to Sardar Simranjit Singh Mann, Member of Parliament. Awatar Singh Sekhon 6 Council of Khalistan: submits memorandum to the UN Human Rights Council, Switzerland 9 An occupational government in Islamabad? 12 Sardar Angad Singh (Australia): International air service to Amritsar, Punjab, the Sikh Nation 13 Black days for the Sikhs (in Europe) 15 Open letters: Council of Khalistan to the Chancellor of Germany 16 NEWS, VIEWS, SHORT LETTERS, COMMENTS, ETC. 17 Army RDX used in Samjhauta Express 18 Hindu Terror; new face of terror tale; I was masterminded of Malegaon blast admits Lt. Col.; Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested 18 Explosive revelation of Lt. Col Purohit 18 I was mastermind of Malegaon blast admits Lt. Col 18 ATS arrests Mutt head from Kanpur; more soldier under scanner; Lt. Col Purohit's lap top missing; Malegaon probe 220 0 Blast after blast, who is responsible? Teesta Sitalvad 20 Togadia funded Abhinav Bharat 24 Hindu extremists behind Sanjauta Express, Ajmer blasts; Togadia funded Abhinav Bharat 24 RSS leader rubbishes charges of links with ISI 25 Avtar Makker of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee extremely poor administrator Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon 25 Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon writes to Parmjit Singh Sekhon 27 Rape Us, Women Cry for Justice (Assam) 28 Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon writes to Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer [email protected] 29 Letter from a Guru-da-Sikh and Dr Sekhon responds 30 The 18 MLAs of BJP with criminal record 33 Bajrang Dal linked to recent blasts centre 33 More: Battleground Karnatka 32 Sirdar Gurmit Singh Khalsa, Justice of Peace, Australia, writes on Guru Nanak Sahib's Prakash Divas (Birthday) 34 Are Advani & Modi conspirators of Hindu Terror? 34 Law college violence: NHRC asks TN to submit report 34 The Australian Times 35 COUNCIL OF KHALISTAN, WASHINGTON DC 35 Anniversary of Delhi massacres; Sikhs should rejects deras 35 Sikhs should reject deras 36 Historical facts of the Indian democracy and the Sikhs 36 * * * Copy © 2008, The Sikh Educational Trust, Box 60242, University of Alberta Postal Outlet, EDMONTON, AB T6G 2S5 CANADA Call for Papers: Submit your contributions, in the MS Word format, via electronic mail, of the academic interests in the Sikh affairs. The authors of the accepted articles will be notified. The e-mail address of the journal is [email protected] Released: 2nd December, 2008. International Journal of Sikh Affairs 18, No. 2, 2008© PRINTED IN CANADA ISSN 1481-5435 ii International Journal of Sikh Affairs 18 (2), 2008 ISSN 1481-5435 KHALISTAN: DR SEKHON BRIEFS THE GOVERNMENT OF BELGIUM Sardar Sarjit Singh Khalsa ji refreshments, the representatives started arriving in the boardroom. In the next few minutes, when all expectants had arrived, the Chairman called the meeting to order. He <[email protected]> introduced us, the Sikhs, to the participants. Thereafter, the Chairman asked Dr. Sekhon to begin his briefing. Piare Sardar Surjit Singh Khalsa ji, Dr. Sekhon, after thanking the Chairman and greeting the Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh representatives, began by saying: Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Afternoon. It is a great pleasure to be here with you and speak before you for 20-25-min. Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon of Canada briefed the Government of Belgium, at the request of the Government of Belgium, through Sardar Bhupinder Singh Holland of The Netherlands on The subject of my presentation, as what I have been asked to October 4th, 1999. brief you all, is “The Sikhs’ Struggle for Sovereignty, Independence and Political power by peaceful means, which has been going on since March 14th, 1849.” In other words, Place: Brussels this has been the struggle to free The Sikh Raj of monarch Ranjit Singh, 1799 to the 14th of March, 1849. Other terms, Building: Ministry of Justice (Government of Belgium) which have been used for the Sikh Raj, have been The Sikh Building Nation and Khalistan. Sikhs nearly freed their land in 1710. Since 1710, the Sikhs and Mughals ruled the Punjab, The Sikh Nation. The Sikhs ruled on the hearts of people as they Floor: Boardroom of the Ministry of Justice belonged to the people; whereas, the Mughals ruled by their military might. In 1799, the Sikh monarch, Ranjit Singh Topic: KHALISTAN in relation to the ‘turmoil’ created by the established the Sikh Kingdom and ruled until March 14th, Indian Government since the ‘undeclared’ war on the Sikhs’ 1849. The British Empire conquered the Punjab alias the Sikh Holy and Historic Homeland, PUNJAB, The Sikh Nation, and Nation on that ill-fated day of March 14th, 1849. Fifteen days the Citizens of the Sikh Nation, in the name of a brutal, later, the British agent, Lord Dalhousie, proclaimed from military, “Operation Bluestar” of June, 1984 and its aftermath. Rawalpindi (now Islamabad) that their newly conquered territory, Punjab is “annexed”, Punjab of Ranjit Singh, to the British Empire. It was “annexed” for administration purposes Date: October 4th, 1999 only and not amalgamation. Ladies and gentlemen, the word ‘India’ did not exist in any dictionary and/or Encyclopedia of Time: 14:00 Hrs the English language until March 28th, 1814. The word ‘India’ was invented by the British Empire between March 14th and 28th, 1849. As such the Sikhs’ struggle for sovereignty began Request for the Brief on Khalistan: By the Government of much earlier than the Hindus’ ‘Freedom struggle’ of India.
Recommended publications
  • Politics of Genocide
    I THE BACKGROUND 2 1 WHY PUNJAB? Exit British, Enter Congress In 1849 the Sikh empire fell to the British army; it was the last of their conquests. Nearly a hundred years later when the British were about to relinquish India they were negotiating with three parties; namely the Congress Party largely supported by Hindus, the Muslim League representing the Muslims and the Akali Dal representing the Sikhs. Before 1849, the Satluj was the boundary between the kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and other Sikh states, such as Patiala (the largest and most influential), Nabha and Jind, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Kulcheter, Kalsia, Buria, Malerkotla (a Muslim state under Sikh protection). Territory under Sikh rulers stretched from the Peshawar to the Jamuna. Those below the Satluj were known as the Cis-Satluj states. 3 In these pre-independence negotiations, the Akalis, led by Master Tara Singh, represented the Sikhs residing in the territory which had once been Ranjit Singh’s kingdom; Yadavindra Singh, Maharaja of Patiala, spoke for the Cis- Satluj states. Because the Sikh population was thinly dispersed all over these areas, the Sikhs felt it was not possible to carve out an entirely separate Sikh state and had allied themselves with the Congress whose policy proclaimed its commitment to the concept of unilingual states with a federal structure and assured the Sikhs that “no future Constitution would be acceptable to the Congress that did not give full satisfaction to the Sikhs.” Gandhi supplemented this assurance by saying: “I ask you to accept my word and the resolution of the Congress that it will not betray a single individual, much less a community ..
    [Show full text]
  • Paper Teplate
    Volume-04 ISSN: 2455-3085 (Online) Issue-04 RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary April -2019 www.rrjournals.com [UGC Listed Journal] Socio-political impacts of Dera Politics in Punjab 1Kuljit & *2Dawinder Kaur 1Student, Department of political science, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara (India) 2Assistant Professor, Department of political science, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara (India) ARTICLE DETAILS ABSTRACT Article History This research is based upon the concept of Dera politics as a world-wide phenomenon with Published Online: 15 April 2019 special context to Punjab. Dera politics is most prevalent in the two states of Punjab and Haryana. The real root cause of Dera politics is the caste system which has not only divided Keywords one or two more states but the whole of India. Caste based communities have faced such Dera‟s, untouchability, superstitious, inequality, poverty. problems before independence and yet facing it till today. The Dera is divided between the upper caste and the lower caste. It is highly affecting the lives of the people in Punjab. *Corresponding Author Instead of solving the problems, the community it has created more of communal clashes. They must have started the Dera with a different motive. Like the upliftment of the lower Email: dawinder.22040[at]lpu.co.in caste people and their basic rights of entering the religion places was denied to them. Dera was made to fight for the rights of the minorities but later on, was used for the corrupt motives of baba Ram Rahim. But Punjab government has taken some essential steps in quelling the Dera politics, which was being run by baba Ram Rahim.
    [Show full text]
  • Country Advice
    Country Advice India India – IND38924 – Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) – 2007 Riots – Police Protection – Punjab – Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) 11 July 2011 1. Please provide background information on Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim singh or any movement linked to him/it. Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is the current leader (or Guru Ji) of the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) religious organisation, a Sikh breakaway sect.1 The DSS was founded in 1948 by a Sikh leader “with an eye to social reform and spiritual purification…among Sikhs in particular, but also others”.2 Sources indicate that DSS combines aspects of various religions and aims to free its followers from caste and religious identity. Most of its followers come from Sikh backgrounds, though the sect also includes former Muslims and Christians. Reports offer highly variant figures on the number of adherents, with estimates ranging from several hundred thousand to tens of millions; the higher numbers tend to come from DSS sources. The DSS is based in Sirsa, Haryana state in northern India.3 A Times of India article from 18 May 2007 notes that there are DSS followers in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, HP, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Chandigarh.4 Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is a controversial figure. He has been charged with at least one count of rape and three separate counts of murder.5 The High Court of Punjab and Haryana website lists forty „case numbers‟ for Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh pending from 2007 to 1 „Huzoor Pita Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan‟ n.d, Dera Sacha Sauda website, http://derasachasauda.org/en/guru-ji/saint-gurmeet-ram-rahim-singh-ji-insan.html – Accessed 11 July 2011 – Attachment 1; Alig, Asif Anwar & Anwar, Abid 2007, „Embers of a Sikh fire‟, Himal South Asian, October http://www.himalmag.com/2007/october_november/embers_of_a_sikh_fire.html – Accessed 9 October 2007 [note: website could not be accessed on 5 July 2011] – Attachment 2.
    [Show full text]
  • 0901D19680c5e768-Disclosuredocument23jan2021b Tcm 12-578435.Pdf
    10 yutsrponmlihfedcbaUTSRPOLIFEDCBAPOLITICS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS MUMBAI | THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021 1 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that my client MR. DHRUV ESTATES LIMITED VIJAY SHYAMLAL SHARMA is a sole and Regd. Office: B-709, Sagar Tech Plaza, Andheri Kuria Road, Sakinaka Junction, Andheri (East), MUMBAI - 400072 absolute owner of Flat No. B/1, on Ground Floor, Muljinagar Building No.1 Co-operative UNAUDITED FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED ON 31 ST DECEMBER-2020 Housing Society Ltd., S.V. Road, Borivali Where's the bias? SC says (West), Mumbai-400 092, (hereinafter referred to as "THE SAID FLAT") and MR. VIJAY 3 months Preceding Correspond- Year to date Year to date Previous SHYAMLAL SHARMA is a bonafide member of ended 3 months ing 3 months Figures for Figures for Year ended Muljinagar Building No.1 Co-operative PARTICULARS 31.12.2020 ended ended in the Current Previous 31.03.2020 Housing Society Ltd., and is holding Share 30.09.2020 Previous year Period ended year ended Certificate No.21 consisting of five shares of 31.12.2019 31.12.2020 31.12.2019 farm panel has no power Rs.50/- each bearing distinctive numbers from (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) 101 to 105 (both inclusive) issued by the said Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Society. My client MR. VIJAY SHYAMLAL PRESS TRUST OF INDIA SHARMA intends to sale his Flat No. B/1 to 1. Income New Delhi, 20 January any Prospective Buyer/s. (a) Revenue from Operations 0 0 50000 0 50000 50000 If any person having any claim, right, (b) Other Income 16758 0 169117 19762 489479 373466 title and interest of whatsoever nature over the Total Income 16758 0 219117 19762 539479 423466 he Supreme Court on same by way of sale, mortgage, lien, exchange, Wednesday expressed strong dis- inheritance, trust, legacy, maintenance, 2.
    [Show full text]
  • 127 Written Answers [RAJYA SABHA] to Questions 128 (E) and (F) Units Engaged in Production of Agricultural, Horticultural Crops
    127 Written Answers [RAJYA SABHA] to Questions 128 (e) and (f) Units engaged in production of agricultural, horticultural crops, animal (a) what has been the price/rate of seeds Husbandary including poultry pisciculture, during the last three years, year-wise and and sericulture goods and undertaking to seed-wise ; and export their entire production (except sales in (b) what will be the price/rate of seeds the domestic tariff area as may be permissible) after acceptance of Dunkel proposals in the may be granted permission under the 100% country stating its overall impact on rural EOU scheme. farmers and on agriculture sector of the country? Supply and Consumption ot Milk in Delhi 3308. SHRI BHUPINDER SINGH MANN THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE : Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE be MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI S. pleased to state : KRISHNA KUMAR) : (a) There is no statutory control on the price/rate of seeds. (a) what is the amount of subsidy given to Seed producing organisations sell seeds on the Delhi for supply of milk ; price fixed by them by taking into consideration cost of production, transpor- (b) what is the consumption of milk in tation, processing, packaging, etc., and overall Delhi; and commercial judgement. (c) what is the per head availability of (b) No detailed study has been made of the milk in Delhi, and how it compares with the impact of the Dunkel proposals on seed prices. average availability of milk in the rest of the The draft legislation on plant varieties seeks to country ? protact the interest of the farmers while stimulating production of quality seed/planting THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE material.
    [Show full text]
  • Bihar Cong on Verge of Split, Rebels Plan to Bolt To
    THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI * SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2017 TIMES NATION | Politics & Policy 15 Symbol row Bihar Cong on verge of split, may keep Lookout notice for Dera rebels plan to bolt to JD(U) ADMK out of chief’s daughter, aide Team Modi Manvir.Saini @timesgroup.com 14 Of 27 MLAs Form Group; State Chief, CLP Summoned To Delhi Mohua.Chatterjee @timesgroup.com Panchkula: The special in- [email protected] age served as a hedge, disengaged him- vestigation team (SIT) of Ha- self from the party. New Delhi: While it was specu- ryana police issued lookout Patna/New Delhi: The Congress legis- Although the JD(U)-BJP coalition lated that the AIADMK could be notices against Honeypreet lative party in Bihar is on the verge of a enjoys majority support, the talk in po- invited to join Prime Minister Insan, the adopted daughter split as 14 party MLAs, just four short of litical circles was that a split in Con- Narendra Modi’s cabinet on of convicted Dera Sacha Sau- the required two-thirds of the total 27 to gress would give Nitish a cushion, while Sunday, this looks unlikely now da chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim formalise a division, have formed an in- dealing a blow to opponents. as the southern party is yet to Singh, and Dera spokesper- formal group and are planning to cross The Congress on Friday trained its formally join the National Dem- son Aditya Insan on Friday. over to the ruling JD(U). guns at Nitish for trying to split the par- ocratic Alliance (NDA).
    [Show full text]
  • Gurmeet-Ram-Rahim.Pdf
    IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP No. 19086 of 2017 Ravinder Singh Dhull ...Petitioner Versus State of Haryana & Ors. …Respondents INDEX Sr. Particular Date Pages No. 1. Compliance report by way of 28.08.2017 1-37 affidavit of Nitin Kumar Yadav, Secretary to Government, Haryana, Home Department on behalf of State of Haryana, respondent No. 1. 2. Annexure R-1 (letter) 26.08.2017 38-41 3. Annexure R-2 (letter) 26.08.2017 42-43 4. Annexure R-3 (letter) 26.08.2017 44 Superintendent Home-IV Place: Chandigarh for Secretary to Government, Haryana, Date: 28.08.2017 Home Department. - 1 - IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP No. 19086 of 2017 Ravinder Singh Dhull ...Petitioner Versus State of Haryana & Ors. …Respondents Compliance report by way of affidavit of Nitin Kumar Yadav, Secretary to Government, Haryana, Home Department, on behalf of State of Haryana, respondent No. 1. I, the above named deponent do hereby solemnly affirm and declare as under:- 1. That in compliance of the order dated 26.08.2017 passed by this Hon’ble Court, the requisite information has been sought from the concerned authorities and the same is given hereinafter for the kind perusal of this Hon’ble Court. 2. That Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh the Head of Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa, Haryana was an accused in CBI case No.RC-5(S)2002/SIU- XV/Chd. u/S-376/506/509 IPC and other murder cases. The above case was fixed for hearing for pronouncement of judgment and he was required to appear in person on 25th August 2017 in CBI Court at Panchkula.
    [Show full text]
  • Dera Sacha Sauda – Punjab – Haryana – Shiromani Akali Dal – Madhya Pradesh – Sikh Extremism – Ek Noor Khalsa Fauj – State Protection 12 January 2012
    Country Advice India India – IND39741 – Dera Sacha Sauda – Punjab – Haryana – Shiromani Akali Dal – Madhya Pradesh – Sikh Extremism – Ek Noor Khalsa Fauj – State Protection 12 January 2012 1. Please provide background information on the activities of the DSS, including how widespread their activities are in India. Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) is a spiritual and social movement founded in 1948 by Shehenshahji Mastana, a Sikh from Balochistan. According to one source, Mastana believed that Sikhism had strayed from its original path by allowing caste to re-establish itself within the religion. Consequently, Mastana established a dera (temple or ashram) near the town of Sirsa, in what is today the Indian state of Haryana. A report in the Himal South Asian states that Mastana founded the dera “with an eye to social reform and spiritual purification – among the Sikhs in particular, but also others in general.” The current leader of DSS, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, has reportedly stated that “[o]ur religion is humanity and to help the needy.” The beliefs of the movement are apparently based on a “combination of all religions” and are referred to by DSS followers as insaan. Despite this, DSS is considered by many Sikhs as a breakaway faction of Sikhism, raising the ire of some in the Sikh religious hierarchy and the larger Sikh community.1 Under the leadership of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the DSS has expanded its presence and services beyond the Sikh heartland of Punjab and Haryana, building ashrams and providing services in a number of states and cities
    [Show full text]
  • Sikh Ethnonationalism and Its Contested Articulation During Militancy in Punjab
    25 Kuldip Singh: Sikh Ethnonationalism Sikh Ethnonationalism and Its Contested Articulation During Militancy in Punjab Kuldip Singh Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar _______________________________________________________________ This paper examines the evolution and construction of Sikh ethnonationalism from the beginnings of the faith to the period of militancy in Punjab in the 1980s/90s. While the militants enjoyed great community support immediately after Operation Bluestar and through the late 1980s, their version of Sikh ethnonationalism failed to resonate sustainably with the Sikh masses. In this paper, I highlight how militant violence pivoted from being politically oriented to being more indiscriminant in its targets. The Sikh masses, who eventually became victims of this violence, saw it as being at odds with Sikh values. I argue that this was the crucial reason for the militant version of Sikh ethnonationalism waning, and ultimately failing. This argument is demonstrated by examining the writings and editorials of various Sikh leaders, including some militant leaders who criticized the eventual degradation of militant violence and raised questions about its congruence with historical Sikh values and ethnonationalism. ________________________________________________________________ Introduction This paper examines the evolution and construction of Sikh ethnonationalism from the beginnings of the faith to the period of militancy in Punjab in the 1980s/90s. Specifically, it tries to answer why the particular construction of Sikh ethnonationalism espoused by the militants during the separatist movement of the 1980s/90s eventually failed to resonate with the Sikh masses of Punjab. This is an important question, considering the fact that the militants appeared to have significant community support immediately after Operation Bluestar and through the late-1980s.
    [Show full text]
  • Genesis of Sikh - Nirankari Tussle
    O L f v : ; r ? IF I ' ' ' GENESIS OF SIKH - NIRANKARI TUSSLE by BHAI HARI SINGH (Shergill), Editor, ‘Punjabi Samachar’, Bombay-400011 Published by DHARAM PARCHAR COMMITTEE (SHIROMANI GURDWARA PARBANDHAK COMMITTEE) ~-U' , s AMRITSAR. Digitized bv Paniab Digital I ihram I www.n^hHhilih.nra y \ § ^ TfU3I3 fft oft 33U GENESIS OF SIKH - NIRANKARI TUSSLE by BHAI HARI SINGH (Shergill), Editor, ‘Punjabi Samachar’, Bombay-400011 Published by DHARAM PARCHAR COMMITTEE [SHIRQMANI GURDWARA PARBANDHAK COMMITTEE) AMRITSAR. m M h M Published by SARDAR MAHINDER SINGH ‘GIANT SECRETARY, SHIROMANI GURDWARA PARBANDHAK COMMITTEE, AMRITSAR. & Printed at JASPAL PRINTING PRESS, KATRA GHANIAN, AMRITSAR INTRODUCTION This compilation under the above title has got a specific background. The so-called Nirankari Chief Shri Gurbachan k Singh, in a camouflage Sikh attire, and his domestic Nirankari Mandal, headquartered in Delhi-9, have been, for quite sometime past, indulging in publicly insulting, ridiculing and downgrading the Sikh religion, the Sikh Gurus, certain time-honoured Sikh personages, usages and traditions, as well as their eternally sacred WORD - INCARNATE ENLIGHTENER, Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Despite a number of earlier angry, non-violent protestations of Sikhs against this vulgar and irreligious conduct of his, on more than half a dozen different occasions in Punjab and outside, the ‘Nirankari baba’ has been pursuing this irresponsible practice as vigorously as ever. At last he grew bold enough to beard the lion in his own den. On the 13th April, 1978 on the historical Baisakhi festival, when more or less a million Sikhs gather from far and near to pay homage at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, Gurbachan Singh thought expedient to convene his so-called Nirankari Samagam and repeat his usual blasphemous blurtings and his claim to be I the exclusive supreme modern avtar of God of to-day, over the heads of Guru Nanak-Guru Gobind Singh and all other time- honoured oriental avtars and sematic prophets.
    [Show full text]
  • The Politics of Economic Reform in India
    The Politics of Economic Reform in India I After Independence the policymaking elite in India launched a project of economic development with a heavy involvement of the state and a democratic polity. In the first three decades since then, in the 50's, 60's and 70's, there were many successes and at least as many failures of this developmental project. In terms of economic success, this particular project led to the foundation of a complex industrial economy, though some parts of the economy are highly inefficient and not very cost effective. This project also led to a fairly reasonable rate of agricultural growth, with publicly provided or subsidised irrigation and chemical fertilizers, sometimes at the cost of a heavy fiscal burden and some environmental degradation. In terms of the democratic experiment, apart from consolidating a massively diverse polity into some unified political and administrative framework, over time ripples of democratic equality spread out as if in concentric circles to ever increasing numbers of hitherto subordinate groups and castes. Many of the failures of the project we are now all familiar with. The major failure at the overall macro-economic level was that the growth rate in national income was very slow, particularly in per capita income. A colossal and highly inefficient public sector became a drain on the resources mobilised by the government. There was rampant corruption, both political and bureaucratic; some of this corruption flowed from the regulatory structure of the economy, particularly the nightmarish maze of controls and regulations that the government imposed. The sluggish growth could not match the growing aspirations of the up-and-coming subordinate groups.
    [Show full text]
  • CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E1596 HON
    E1596 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks August 7, 1998 occupation and denial of human rights. As a lege. As a Marine during WWII, he saw action every day, other innocent people will join the nation, we must insist that turkey withdraw its in the South Pacific. He is survived by his wife ranks of the disappeared.'' With nuclear weap- occupying forces and allow the return of refu- Beverly, a daughter Kate; two sons: Vaughn ons involved in South Asia, these terrible vio- gees to their communities. and Arch; and five grandchildren. lations of basic human rights are even more We must send a clear message stating that f dangerous to the entire world. violations of human rights and international KHALISTANI DELEGATION law will not be tolerated, especially when per- I am inserting Dr. Aulakh's testimony and TESTIFIES AT UNITED NATIONS petrated by a nation to which we grant signifi- the Council of Khalistan's press release into cant amounts of foreign aid. A truly democratic the RECORD for the information of my col- foreign policy will seek the restoration of a HON. DAN BURTON leagues. I urge them to read it carefully. It is united Greek-Cypriot state and serve as a tes- OF INDIANA frightening, but quite informative. Thank you, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tament to our commitment to democratic self- Mr. Speaker. Thursday, August 6, 1998 government and fundamental freedoms. TESTIMONY OF DR. GURMIT SINGH AULAKH, f Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, re- PRESIDENT, COUNCIL OF KHALISTAN BEFORE cently a delegation of Khalistani Americans led A TRIBUTE TO IAN B.
    [Show full text]