THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SIKH AFFAIRS
JUNE 2012
Volume 22
No. 1
Published By: The Sikh Educational Trust
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ISSN 1481-5435 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SIKH AFFAIRS
JUNE ISSUE VOLUME 22
EDITORIAL ADVISORS
Dr S S Dhami, MD Dr B S Samagh Dr Surjit Singh Prof Gurtej Singh, IAS Usman Khalid New York, USA Ottawa, CANADA Williamsville, NY Chandigarh President, Rifah Party of Pakistan
J S Dhillon “Arshi” M S Randhawa Dr Sukhjit Kaur Gill Gurmit Singh Khalsa MALAYSIA Ft. Lauderdale, FL CA Chandigarh AUSTRALIA
Editor in Chief: Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon The Sikh Educational Trust Box 276, 9768-170th St, NW Edmonton, AB T5T 5L4 E-mail:[email protected]
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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 ornament -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 Singh The 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 Nation
The 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 the Sovereigny of 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 Aulakh
Freedom is never given, it is won through preservance and struggle by peaceful means -Dr Gurmit Singh Aulakh
Akali Party id dead -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
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ISSN 1481-5435
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JUNE 2012 Volume 22 No. 1
CONTENTS
Bharat in Bhasmasur Mode Gurtej Singh 1 The suicidal missionary C Mitra 14 History is repeating Gurtej Singh 17 Badal's formula for everlasting peace in Punjab Gurtej Singh 21 The colded-murder of Jaspal Singh Gurtej Singh 23 Hanera Sinh Badal and the Akali Dal-Badal…. A S Sekhon 25 The capital punishment…the truth to gallows Kirpal Singh Bathinda 26 Rebuttal to Martin Regg Cohen of the Toronto Star K Petersen 30 The Brahmins-Hindus democracy…. A S Sekhon 33 Dr Sekhon's Commentary: My interview…. H Yousafzai 34 Dr Sekhon replies to…the on-going Sikhs' struggle for sovereignty A S Sekhon 37 The 2nd May saga revisited…. Asif Raja 38 Dal Khalsa Alliance and sister Sikh organizations …Memorandum to the UN:HRC 42 Human Rights Violations against minorities in India 47 Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy A S Sekhon 55 United Nations: Human Rights Council (UN:HRC) A S Sekhon 56 Mr Martin Regg Cohen's views…offensive A S Sekhon 57
PUNJABI SECTIONS
Balwant Singh Rajoana's letter , 10th August, 2009, to Chief Justice, P & H High Court 60 Ajoki Babbar Kharkoo Lehar Gurtej Singh 61 Bhai Talwinder Singh Babbar Gurtej Singh 66 General Bhullar di Chaumukhi sewa Gurtej Singh 71 Mangia charrhan nu, milia chukan nu Gurtej Singh 81
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RELEASED: 23rd May, 2012
PRINTED IN CANADA ISSN 1481-5435
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BHARAT IN BHASMASUR MODE Gurtej Singh, IAS & IPS (Formerly) Professor of Sikhism
To the Editor, myself well equipped to hold a viable opinion. I had India Today, the opportunity to observe the Sant closely. I hold the 16 January, 2012 point of view that has been vastly appreciated by the Dear Sir, people of the Punjab and the Sikhs scattered all over I have been reading your very readable magazine since the world. I have written several articles on the Sant it started publication. Though it does a good job by since 1982 and have authored a book on him. and large, it consistently fails to treat the Sikh issues I am enclosing a short article for publication. (The fairly. A recent example of the unfair treatment is your complete article is also enclosed). It constitutes a anniversary number dated December 26, 2011. Your response that is well appreciated in knowledgeable article by Chandan Mitra is in extremely bad taste, full circles, I hope it will be possible for you to carry it in of anachronisms, factual mistakes and biased your rightly esteemed magazine at the earliest formulations. His main thrust that Sant Baba Jarnail convenient opportunity. Singh Bhinderanwale was a foreign agent is contrary I am also enclosing the full response which I do not to all evidence available on the subject. I assure you expect to be carried but I do hope it will be read by that everyone doesn’t ascribe to Chandan Mitra’s those responsible for bringing out India Today just to jaundiced view. The facts conclusively prove him have an idea that the other point of view on the subject wrong. exists and may possibly be more balanced than the I have been a keen observer of Punjab politics and the view aired by Mr. Mitra. Punjab situation for decades. I have written several Thanking you. scores of articles and more than half a dozen books on Yours faithfully, these subjects both in Punjabi and in English. I deem Bharat in Bhasmasur Mode Before the events relating to the recent violent Darbar complex and returned to it after committing the suppression of the Akali political agitation are crime although the Darbar was under a constant siege recalled, a few of the established parameters within by the para-military forces for the entire period of the which a meaningful discussion can take place, may be Akali agitation? delineated. It is now settled beyond a doubt, that the Most of the writings on the events of the bloody agitation suppressed by Indira Gandhi backed by the decades have been done by journalists feigning permanent cultural majority’s (pcm) orthodoxy, was ignorance of the political processes. They chose to political in nature and had demands that were perfectly have no perspective of history or of the spiritual legitimate and constitutional. Several times an agreed aspirations of a people as independent as they were upon solution was found to the issues raised. Every entitled to be under the prevalent basic law. The time, the agitating Akali Dal accepted the compromise journalists substituted the lack of skills and and every time Indira Gandhi, the other party, perspective with an ample measure of newly acquired rescinded it. She indicated thereby that she was not in urban snobbery. They appeared to be supporting the favour of a peaceful settlement. Itching for shedding orthodox hegemonic approach of the overwhelming Sikh blood, she aimed at escalating it into a Sikh pcm wedded to solving every political problem agitation. The only rationale given for the army attack violently according to its tradition. The resultant on the Guru’s Darbar at Amritsar was that India academic discourse is vitiated by ample contempt for wanted to put an end to militant activity supposedly the supposedly ‘less intelligent --- rural underclass,’ originating in the shrine. This was factually incorrect vitriolic language with destructive intent is thrown in as forty other shrines were also attacked. The end was for special effect. Many writings that have appeared not achieved as the escalation of violent activity was a are from the perspective of the megalomaniac fascist thousand times more in the decade that followed it Punjabi Hindu politicians who believe that since the than it had been for a decade ending with June 1984. It Hindus form an overwhelming majority of the is also certain now that the much maligned Sant Baba country’s population, they own every inch of India as Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhinderanwale never made a bid they own their karyana shops. Their contempt for the for Khalistan but was supporting the political agitation rural folk is endless and their hatred for the Sikhs and of the Akali Dal based on the Anandpur Sahib the Sikh faith knows no bounds. Resolution. It is also obvious that except for a few in While orthodoxy in the faith of the pcm is 1984, no political murders ever took place within the characterized by the ubiquitous traits of violence, Darbar complex. It is not explained to this day, why intolerance of dissent and attempts at acquiring the security forces spread thick all over the state were political hegemony over neighbouring cultural and not able to apprehend murderers, who committed political entities, in the Sikh faith it has an entirely murders all over the state and in Delhi. No explanation different connotation. It implies assuming is given why the security forces never apprehended responsibility for promoting universal brotherhood murderers who according to it rode forth from the and establishing all inclusive institutions (for instance
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langar). In a word, Sikh orthodoxy stands for acting establish schismatic sects within the Sikh faith. The God in history. game had been earlier tried without success by On her return to political pre-eminence in 1980 after Aurangzeb and Bahadurshah. Jawaharlal Nehru had the notorious suspension of human rights during the relied upon the Radhaswamis, Namdharis and Emergency, Indira Gandhi unveiled her ambition and Nanaksarias to perform the executioners’ job. Indira started exhibiting a pronounced propensity to emerge Gandhi depended upon the Nirankaris while as leader of the chauvinistic section of the pcm. In her continuing to support the Radhaswamis and new incarnation of goddess Durga, she did not forget Nanaksarias for the same purpose. Her evil mind the bottomless bowl in which the deity drinks her dreamed of bringing back the days when the statues of favourite drink - human blood. She was in her best hydra-headed and elephant-headed gods had polluted form during the attack on the Guru’s Darbar which she the pure spirituality of the Guru’s Darbar dedicated to ordered to commence on the martyrdom day of Guru the Formless One. Arjan. To see that she entrapped the largest number of In 1911, Tagore in his article had summed up all that innocent Sikh pilgrims to quench her newly acquired the pcm found undesirable about the Sikhs. At about thirst, the curfew was relaxed for a few hours before the same time David Petrie, the Assistant Director of the attack so as to kill as many pilgrims as could the Central Intelligence had noticed the deep rooted possibly be killed. A victim of this mindset, she issued antipathy of the pcm to the administration of pahul by the diabolically inhuman orders, “I don’t give a damn the Guru and to the rahit prescribed by him. Gandhi if the Golden Temple and the whole of Amritsar is too identified the same problems as the pcm was destroyed, I want Bhinderanwale dead.” By obeying having with the Sikhs. M. K. Gandhi gave precision to these orders, her political supporters throughout the his “gurudev’s” formulations, It was the separate country and the army generals stood recruited as identity that hurt the pcm the most. Based upon this members of the eighteenth century criminal sect that the strategy of the schismatic sects propped up by the thrived on thugee. Its mode of worship was the cold Congress governments at the centre, had been chalked blooded murder of unsuspecting pilgrims and out. Central to them was to throw a challenge to the travellers. Tenth Nanak’s decree abolishing a human Guru and of In My Truth, Indira Gandhi indicates that she eternally bestowing the gurgaddi on the Guru Granth. subscribed to the political theory evolved by the pcm Gandhi subscribed to the identical view. He frowned after 1947. It affirmed that the pcm has the exclusive upon the separate identity, the Sikh ceremonial sword, right to rule the country. The census figures of three the Punjabi language and the Gurmukhi script. All decades that preceded 1984 showed that the Sikh these became the points of difference that the population was increasing at an impressive rate. sponsored sects had with the Khalsa. Hindus of the Punjab, about whom she pretended to be Encouragement that the Nirankaris received from the deeply concerned presented the state of species going various governments in the Punjab and at the centre politically extinct. It appeared that the Khalsa, the true convinced them that the time for decisive war had model for Indian resurgence was slowly, but surely come. They decided to make a beginning at Amritsar asserting itself. She concluded that it was time to take where they announced a parallel structure to replace decisive action to check the growth of the Sikh faith the khalsapanth. Some Sikh volunteers decided to and the spread of the Khalsa consciousness. She resist the onslaught. The Nirankaris unleashed extreme dreamt of swallowing up the Sikh faith just as the Jain violence on the peacefully protesting unarmed Sikhs and Buddhist faiths had been eradicated from India. on April 13, 1978, at Amritsar and killed 17 of them She knew very well that she would be pandering to a excluding two bystanders. This firearm wielding popular communal sentiment and some like A. B. Nirankaris were given police support. No one was Vajpayee were anxiously waiting in the wings to arrested on the spot although the Nirankaris remained thrust the title of ‘Durga Incarnation’ on her. there for several hours after the massacre. The case Her earliest instinct was to encourage foreign scholars was transferred to a court outside the Punjab by the like W. H. McLeod to show her how the edifice so central government. Hard evidence was not presented. coherently put together by the Guru could be False evidence of innocence was cooked up. In the dismantled. Hew McLeod did his worst and was circumstances, the court acquitted the sixty four successful in producing a crop of indigenous scholars accused.. No appeal against the acquittal was filed. It who would follow a white man like rats following the soon became obvious to the Sikhs that there was no pied piper. To accommodate his flock, phoney well justice for them under the pcm’s dispensation. Under wishers of the community would soon establish chairs the perceived ‘Hindu imperialism’ the only way in in foreign universities. The other function was which justice could be obtained was by extra-judicial naturally to popularise his negative formulations, execution. This was what the Sikhs did. When the although their hollowness was exposed on Akali government in the Punjab was dismissed by unassailable original evidence available in plenty. Indira Gandhi, the Akalis too were obliged to exhibit In pursuit of dismantling the Khalsa edifice, her father their sympathy with the Sikhs and the Punjab. They before her had propped up pseudo-religious leaders to launched a peaceful agitation for redressing of Punjab’s religious and economic grievances.
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The decision to brutally crush the dharamyudhmorcha in his last journey through the Punjab. Most of the launched by the Akalis best suited Indira Gandhi’s metalled road already existed. His contribution was to design. She targeted amritdhari young Sikhs, the type name it Guru Gobind Singh Marg. He succeeded in his of whom the Sant was projecting in the leadership undertaking. The Sikh masses swung in his favour and role. The first half a dozen Sikhs killed in contrived forced the Akalis to support his candidacy. He gained police encounters were those who like Kulwant Singh the sympathetic ear of the Akalis and was also able to Nagoke were reputed to be good Sikhs. So had been get their votes in the presidential elections on July 13, the 17 killed by her allies, the Nirankaris on the 1982. Baisakhi day of 1978. Wanton violence was quite in The Hindu Press made much of the assassination of keeping with her purpose. On one occasion more than Lala Jagat Narayan to malign the real Sikh leadership. 20 agitating Akalis were mowed down with a machine They attributed it to Sant Baba Bhinderanwale. We gun from a helicopter when they were dispersing after were then living in times in which, according to stopping traffic on a road from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. Bhinderanwale himself, slaughter of every chicken Similarly the armed forces fired upon the unarmed and of every goat was likewise nailed to his door. It persons retiring to their villages after witnessing the had become most convenient and most popular to arrest of Sant Bhinderanwale on September 20, 1981 blame the Sant. An attempt was made to make him a and without provocation killed thirteen of them. Later conspirator in the murder of Jagat Narayan. (February 14, 1984) the Hindu Sauraksha Samiti, Significantly, the alleged conspirator was arrested supported by her minion called for a shut down to even before actual culprits were apprehended. Jagat match the completely peaceful shut down of the Narayan had a three decade old history of virulent AISSF (of February 8), and killed 25 Sikhs in Karnal Sikh baiting and had created enemies in every nook alone, where 6 gurdwaras were also burnt down. This and corner of the Punjab. The evidence of his is just a small portion of the blood that filled newly denigrating Sikh values and running down Sikh incarnated Durga’s bowl. The police and the Hindu personalities is available in his own writings in the crowds killing the Sikhs knew that immunity from the Punjab Kesri group of newspapers owned and edited operation of the country’s laws existed for them under by him. He also had been the main defence witness in her dispensation. The official journal of the Indian the Baisakhi Murder Case against the Nirankaris. His army “Baatcheet” of June 1984 instructed those who son Romesh Chandra was following him in his were to conduct the operations in the Punjab to footsteps. In the central government sponsored regard the amritdhari young men as those committed situation of lawlessness, in which militants, vigilante to terrorism. groups, underground policemen and anti-social Role of (Shaheed-Bilas Saint-soldier Jarnail Singh elements were operating freely, the resultant violence Khalsa) Sant Jarnail Singh during the Akali in the state was being attributed only to the Sikhs. In dharamyudh morcha was limited at best to aiding the the then prevailing circumstances, such assassinations Akalis in concluding an honourable peace with the surprised no one. It was an expression of extreme government. At the worst, he was keen for a complete irresponsibility to attribute them to the Sant and was change in the pliable political leadership of the Sikhs. interpreted as an attempt at browbeating those Giani Zail Singh was the self-proclaimed bought slave sincerely engaged in serving the people. Such tactics of Indira Gandhi, and prided himself on being a have never been rare in India since 1947. ‘sweeper at her door’ even after becoming the This fishing in the cesspool was aimed at fattening the president of India. He was in favour of preserving the black goat as a prelude to sacrificing it to the Kali Akali leadership upon which he eventually relied to Kalkattewali. The Indian establishment and the Press betray Sikh interests. Amongst them the Congress and consciously rendered the honourable and pure minded the centre could easily find low minded collaborators Sant liable to be brutally murdered in the most in the venture launched by his mistress to destroy cowardly act. A strategy was calculated to endear the other nations and minorities. He was shrewd enough prime minister to the communal masses who to know that they had tasted political power and were perceived her as making efficient efforts at eliminating aware of the opportunities for self-aggrandizement Sikh influence from politics. It was the only route that any betrayal would afford. The loot of gurdwaras through which the 12% Hindus of the state could had also catered to the same sentiment. Giani tried to effectively rule the Punjab. They all cooperated in gain credibility with the Sikh masses by pretending to placing the Sant’s life in the hands of a terribly be a good Sikh. This would allow him to manipulate insecure woman striving to establish a dynasty in a the Akalis. Giani looked upon this task as a service to democracy. Her minions and army generals like the Congress party and was duly rewarded for his Vaidya and Brar readily prostituted themselves for the efforts by being made the Home Minister of India most unholy act ever undertaken by any army since after Indira Gandhi’s return to political power in 1980. the Afghan army under Ahmed Shah Abdali (1762). As the chief minister of the Punjab his important Her attempt at becoming the spirit of Hindu revivalism venture had been to ‘lay’ a metalled road connecting however failed. She lost it out to the more chauvinistic all the places that Guru Gobind Singh had travelled to and openly more fascist Sangh Parivar for whom it was easy to inherit her political mantle even while the dynasty remained in power.
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The great deception was perpetrated with the help of murdered. Bodies of several children with hands tied the obliging Media that could never be raped because at the back and with a single bullet-hole in the head it was ever willing. Indira Gandhi instilled the fear of were brought in for post-mortem. Forces burnt down an individual into the mind of India’s pcm until it was the Sikh Reference Library, destroyed the Akal fully numbed and completely petrified beyond Takhat, killed hymn singers (for instance, the blind sensitivity of any kind. Bhinderanwale was dubbed a Bhai Amrik Singh) inside the Darbar, violated and terrorist although he was charged with no terrorist trampled under military boots every inch of the sacred crime. He was demonised in accordance with the soil hallowed by the blood of martyrs. These martyrs cultural traditions of the pcm that remind one of were those who had beaten back the invader Abdali Shambhook, Eklavya, Bali and Ravana the king of Sri and had rescued thousands of Hindu women and men Lanka. Armed with hatred of a whole community and saving them the usual fate atop the Hindukush where exercising absolute control over a slavish army, she men were slaughtered and the bazaars of Ghani where gave illegal and inhuman orders to kill one person women slaves sold real cheap. The martyrs also against whom there was no proof of guilt and who was included those who had re-conquered the whole of at all times entitled to a legal trial. In the bargain she modern day Pakistan, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and was prepared to destroy the five centuries old centre of Kashmir from the Afghan empire and had made it a a cultural tradition dedicated to nurturing a common part of India. participative universal culture for the new human of Foreign hand canard the new dawn. The Sant had the right to self-defence In addition, Indira Gandhi wanted to project the Sant under all civilised law. Only low gladiators and as an anti-national person. A vital part of her strategy executioners would have taken up the hangman’s job was to insinuate that he was an agent of foreign she assigned to her generals. They mortgaged their powers. A thesis of sorts was meticulously built up. conscience to a tyrant and accepted the supari (partial Deliberately left undefined foreign powers, allegedly advance payment or down payment) to kill an jealous of the progress that India had made, were unarmed person lodged in a fixed location. They pitted supposedly prying around for an opportunity to the might of a modern state against a mere forty-five destroy India. Just to be on the safe side, the initiative almost unarmed, untrained, and of course absolutely was left with Russians who set the ball rolling. innocent persons. Russia’s official news agency, TASS reported that the Initial undertaking turned them into the goons of the KGB had deciphered the hand of Pakistan’s ISI and Chhota Rajan or Pretender Rani gang. When the the American CIA behind the disturbances in the killers accepted to carry out the field orders to Punjab. On the date on which this was alleged eliminate him at any cost, they turned themselves into (December 30, 1981) nothing much really sinister was a bunch of thugs who adored the Black goddess. The happening in the Punjab. The Akali Dal had just about forces they headed, that instant were transformed into defined the problems that the Punjab and the Sikhs her worshippers. They tried everything in their were facing at the hands of the central government arsenal. It included armed personnel carrier, cluster (the New Delhi administration of Indira Gandhi). bombs, poisonous gases, machine guns, helicopter Strategy to redress the grievances was being prepared. cannons and all else, yet they were held up for more Four months later on April 22, 1982, the home than 72 hours. In those hours they lost more soldiers minister of India, alleged in the Rajya Sabha that the than they had lost in an international war. The Battle communal clashes in Amritsar were inspired by of Chamkaur fortress, which was the inspiration of the foreign powers with a view to causing disintegration cornered Sikhs, came alive. David acquitted himself of the country. This nebulous concept served her gloriously once again against Goliath. The Sant and purpose for long. his companions fought like every free man should Attempts at popularizing the proposition continued to fight to preserve his liberty. In a daring bid to guard be made. India’s external affairs minister (P. V. the “ashes of their fathers … the temples of their Narasimha Rao) vended the imported Russian theory gods’, despite being hopelessly outnumbered, they in a big way while speaking in the meeting of the mocked at defeat and despair and gladly embraced consultative committee on June 27, 1984. He did not death. identify any particular foreign power either. Like the hordes of Abdali before them, Indira Then the astute Indira Gandhi took it up herself. She Gandhi’s cohorts looted all that they could. The living had done her worst at Amritsar and now wanted to quarters of lay priests and journalist adjoining the milk the maximum amount of sympathy for the complex were ransacked and plundered. Pilgrims were (Nehru) dynasty. The paranoid woman projected raped. “Prisoners of war,” ranging from four to sixteen herself as living dangerously. While speaking in the years of age and including women and Bangladesh Rajya Sabha (Senate or Upper House) on July 24, citizens staying overnight in the rest houses attached 1984, she said, “I am – butt of attack of – some most to the shrine, were taken. Peaceful volunteers who had powerful forces in the world.” Darbara Singh, who come to offer arrest in the ongoing agitation were was always more loyal than the king, identified the foreign powers for the first time in a responsible forum. He talked of CIA and Zia-ul-Haq as operating through Dr. Jagjit Singh Chauhan to destabilize India. This was too specific. It could have at least caused a
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diplomatic storm particularly as the allegation was and according to some thinkers (for instance a free baseless. So Indira Gandhi intervened to contradict intellectual brigadier Usman Khalid, the former him. She said there was no specific information and President, London Institute of South Asia, and the that what she knew she would not share with the President, Rifah Party of Pakistan), it became the public “in national interest.” This is also the position cause of her assassination. She elaborated on the kind reflected in the White Paper on Punjab Agitation of help she had rendered. She said that in a one-to-one adopted by the government of India on July10, 1984. meeting with Rajiv Gandhi, “where there was not even The task of laying specific blame appears to have been a fly on the wall,” she had supplied the whereabouts of assigned to Lev Rovnin, the foreign minister of the all the Sikh militants to India. It will be remembered Russian Federation who picked up the strings while that all the leaders of the major militant outfits were speaking at a function in the Indian Embassy at eliminated suddenly within few days. By this Moscow. According to the Press Trust of India’s confession she had compromised her country’s honour report of August 12, 1984, he claimed that it was and security. It is a small wonder that she was killed “irrefutably proved” that the CIA and the “aggressive within 24-hour of this public disclosure. imperialist circles of Washington” were behind the The Sikhs and the Sant could expect no better from the Sikh militancy. person for whom the entire opposition was subversive, Benazir Bhutto and Zia-ul-Haq were the two persons anti-Sikh like her father, anti-national and inspired by whose governments are supposed to have helped the foreign enemies because it did not find the Anandpur militants in the Punjab. Fortunately we have the Sahib Resolution a subversive document. V. P. Singh authoritative versions of both of them. Bhandara was a who came as a prime minister after him, was ‘Raja lone Parsi Member of Pakistan’s Parliament. He was Jaichand’ (who betrayed India in the tenth century and advisor to Zia ul Haq on minority affairs from 1982 to whose name is byword for treachery) to him. He 1985. He was privy to Zia plan on the ‘Sikh invented the possibilities of Zail Singh dismissing him separatists.’ Talking to The Tribune on May 8, 2003, and of Pakistan attacking India in January 1987. after crossing over to India at Wagha he said “General Farooq Abdullah’s government was dismissed on Zia was opposed to the Sikh movement because the charges of communalism and support to the freedom map of Khalistan included territories of Pakistan as fighters called anti-national forces by the NDA, soon well. He had stated that it was true that the general Rajiv’s Congress was ruling in coalition with Farooq. would give all moral and other support to Sikh In the last analysis, one purpose of inventing the hardliners, but it was his standing order to all ‘foreign hand’ theory was to wean away the leftist concerned to keep them under strict surveillance. They parties from the Akali agitation. This is why the were, therefore, kept under virtual house arrest for a Russian services were procured. long time. The general had also issued directions that For the above reasons, it may not be fruitful to analyze they should not be allowed to wage their movement Rajiv’s pronouncements about the Sant and the Sikhs from the soil of Pakistan. This revelation came as or the canard of the ‘foreign hand’ theory. On shock to radical Sikhs. Bhandara had admitted that he resuming the discussion, the well-researched on and off met the hijackers of the Indian Airlines observation of the Surya magazine becomes relevant. plane in Kot Lakhpat and other jails as a part of his It says that India imported the arms with the help of official assignment.” (The Tribune, July 20, 2008, 4) the ISI of Pakistan and it sent them into the Darbar Pakistan under the other dispensation also Sahib complex to implicate the Sikhs. The same is vociferously denied that it had helped the Sikhs. On also true of the arms that were dropped over Purulia at the contrary it affirmed that it had helped India. In an the time when P. V. Narasimha Rao was the prime interview to the British Broadcasting Corporation, minister. The truth that emerges from the scrutiny is Benazir Bhutto said that she had assisted the Indian that Indira Gandhi, her son, her cohorts and minions government. ‘India was facing a very difficult were not only supporting a blatant lie, but were also situation in Punjab, and had Pakistan not extended themselves conspiring with foreign powers to malign cooperation, New Delhi’s position would have been and harm their own countrymen. They gave no different.’ The (former) prime minister said, “when explanation for their shameful behaviour but one was Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister, India was facing a invented for them by another foreigner attached to the big problem --- it was on the verge of separation. Had BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). Mark Tully Pakistan not helped them (India), God knows where in his Amritsar Mrs Gandhi’s Last Battle, (Rupa and they would have been now. But we helped them Co. 1985, p. 208), is of the opinion that Pakistan at because it is our principle not to interfere in others’ that time was helping the United States in combating affairs.” (The Tribune, February 15, 1994, p.1) Soviet presence in Afghanistan. The fear of She had again said the same in another interview with jeopardizing relations with the United States prevented the BBC before coming to Pakistan to contest the last India from naming Pakistan. This is clearly an election of her life. A retired Indian civil servant inadequate ground as Indira Gandhi never exhibited a categorically disputed her statement. She was pro-American sentiment and had no love lost for clarifying her position a day before her assassination Ronald Regan. India under her remained a satellite of the Soviet Union. This tribe of liars and calumniators has not ended with the immediate minions of Indira Gandhi but has had an extension in lease of life
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through those (likes of Chandan Mitra) who thrive on War.’ Though the assessment is marred by the yellow journalism. They have no hesitation in disproportionate numbers in the field of battle, the maligning their most honourable contemporary who idea is well mooted. After 1984 they had their stooges has been voted the greatest person of the 20th century draw clumsy maps of Khalistan and make tall claims. with all the Sikhs, the world over participating. These are then attributed to the Sant who never Bhinderanwale’s contribution subscribed to the idea and always supported the Bhinderanwale exposed the worst in the culture of Anandpur Sahib Resolution adopted by the Akali Dal. India’s pcm. Its innate disposition which is brutal, As a non-member he supported the political party fascist and bloody was shown to have been built struggling for legitimate democratic rights. He never around deep-rooted intolerance. Being violence prone subscribed to any formal political set up. The deep at the slightest provocation the pcm had been ever desire of enthusiastic journalists promoting jingoism is willing to destroy other nation’s holiest shrines on any to conjure up all the ghosts that disturb their sleep, or no pretext. It supports a culture that has abiding attribute them posthumously to the Sant and pretend hatred of ‘the other’ as its driving force and hallmark. that they have all been taken care of with his This much had been known for centuries. The assassination. If one reads their minds well then a Bhinderanwale episode served to highlight it. disturbing image of the country emerges. A country Unbridled violence against a political opponent or a that has not seen even a century of independent dissenter has been the normal course when the existence, has yet gathered the arrogance of an empire opponent is weak. The same army however, recently of a millennium, notwithstanding two military defeats. demonstrated reluctance to tackle the Maoists The one in 1962 was the greatest disaster to have equipped by China. The political leadership is keen happened to an army ever since mankind started not to be left behind in pleasing the rebels. Shibu walking on two feet. The other was no less. It in Sorain the chief minister of Jharkhand publicly addition it immortalised the Sant who died undefeated embraced the Naxalites as “brothers and sisters.” See- and a proud sovereign man, a worthy Sikh of the saw game between the two sentiments is currently Guru. There is need to pay heed to Bhagat Kabir who going on. Fear triumphs over hatred for a while then says, “do not be condescending, do not mock a hatred takes over again. Raw fear is not enough to (temporarily) disadvantaged people. The boat is still contain age-old hatred and the bloodstained, brutally on the high seas. Who knows what may still happen?” maimed bodies of killed Nasalizes continue to defile To make their ‘triumph’ appear complete the criminal the pages of publications. It appears that, the state, the deceiving Media and central governments juggernaut will stop rolling only when the ‘might is agencies created false inheritors of Sant Baba Jarnail right’ rule (lashtikaniaye of Chanakya) is fully Singh Khalsa’s mantle. Some of them have been established or when “brothers and sisters” take over dumped into oblivion, others have been killed in an act the reins. of unparalleled perfidy, some others still remain The crafty Indira Gandhi thought she could hide her masquerading abroad and in India as pushers of mere motives by shedding a few crocodile tears, pretended radical slogans. It is a burlesque that we have to rebuild the Takhat on the heavily veiled pretext of witnessed and are witnessing even today. It is much making amends. Perhaps she thought her ‘victory’ was like the modern day ramlila complete with an actor not complete until she had forced the Takhat built by burning down Ravana’s gigantic paper image with her down the throats of the Sikhs. Had she cared for great fanfare and in the presence of enthusiastically Sikh traditions, she would have known that the cheering crowds in every city and town of the country. building erected by the National Building Corporation, The same crowd invariably has previously contributed in the garb of Nihangs owing allegiance to her home to erecting the image. A nation of corrupt pigmies, minister Buta Singh, was most unlikely to survive for engrossed in looting its own people is not best long. It had come to symbolise her arrogance. It was qualified to map the powerful currents of history. legitimately pulled down by the Sikhs at the first Beant Singh, the murderer of thousands of innocent opportunity. The 26 kilograms of polluted gold persons including women and toddlers, was one day reportedly put on the purest of domes, by ruthless, projecting himself as an equal of Ram and Nanak. remorseless invader of the shrine, was contemptuously Within three weeks of that hilarious proclamation, his thrown where it belonged – into the dust (bin of body was literally in a thousand pieces. Walls and the history). A martyr’s spirit had triumphed over the ground around had to be scrapped to recover hundreds diktat of a tyrant. of them. Like all tyrants, tyrannous nations too have a Again and again India miserably failed to correctly lifespan. Retribution pulls them down in an assess the situation. It had to learn again that the imperceptible operation (Black Ignominy!) which endurance, the emotional strength and the innate none can see coming but which is advancing all the fighting capability of its opponents surpassed all time. The truism of history is: ‘a tyrant dies and his human limits. The battle that the Sant gave will be reign ends. A martyr dies and his reign begins.’ remembered for thousands of years. On re-assessing, The other army operation that followed the one in the red-faced journalists then called it the ‘Third Sikh June 1984, was for the purpose of humiliating and terrorising the Sikhs in the name of wiping out remnants of militancy. Its undeclared aim was to show
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who the masters were in India. In response to the orgy decades that had given rise to the Sant Bhineranwale of organised violence let lose by the armed forces, phenomena. It persists and will surely cause another despite the depraved brutality of Gills and Ribeiros, such to rise from the dusty village roads and from their underground police, the regular police and their amongst the worthy sons of the Punjab who still hold allies, the Sikh young men met the might of the honour, truth, dignity and justice as dearer than life modern state without an iota of fear in their eyes or itself. This time the one to come will not be as trace of hesitation on their brow. innocent as the Sant was. His struggle will be far more What is significant in the post 1984 period is not that effective and far more successful. Those who created phoney protagonists of Khalistan were propped up and Pakistan are still around with the same pen and ink. If then defeated according to the script, but that the Sikh anything, their tribe is increasing. This time they have determination to live honourably came through the turned their attention to Khalistan. All augurs well; the dark clouds of severe repression. In any civilised future appears to be bright. country rogue generals and politicians would have Every Sikh remembers the bloody dawn when they faced trial on charges of genocide. Several such trials abandoned their ancestral lands losing their relatives have been recently witnessed. Even today Hosne to communal frenzy and trekked to the land they then Mubarak is answering for ordering the killing of his considered their own. The First Patiala recalls the day own people. Slovodan Milosevic found the easier way they pushed back the Razakars to once again reclaim out. More than one hundred of those who held high Srinagar and the rest of Kashmir for India. Pakistani offices have been convicted of war crimes. Since that generals in their memoirs rue the memorable night was not possible in the circumstances of this when they had hoped to have ridden to Delhi for unfortunate land, the senior most general was shot like breakfast. But their mounts, the Patton tanks, were a rat that he was. So also was the person who gave the reduced to rabble and consigned to the graveyard of supari, since this was the only way to bring her to Asal Uttar in Khemkaran by the vigilant Sikhs justice. exhibiting extreme bravery. Pictures of general Niazi It is the experience of Muslims before 1947 and that of surrendering along with ninety thousand soldiers to the Sikhs after that year that the most poisonous of all general Jagjit Singh Aurora are still printable although is not a viper in the grass but a journalist wedded to stained by the blood of Shabeg Singh the other general serving the interest of the pcm. When the pendulum who made that picture possible. Every Sikh farmer starts swinging in favour of the Sant and all he stood knows the contempt with which he snatched the for, it will receive a great impetus from the activity of begging bowl from the hands of Bharat and threw it modern day shallow journalists and their vituperative away for good as a prelude to assuming responsibility writings designed to spew venom all around. It was for feeding its teeming millions who have by now consistent Sikh hating and Sikh baiting of four grown to over a billion. One wonders whether any of these performances will be repeated, should a similar situation arise again?
Bharat in Bhasmasur mode Gurtej Singh
Before the events relating to the recent violent than it had been for a decade ending with June 1984. It suppression of the Akali political agitation are is also certain now that the much maligned Sant Baba recalled, a few of the established parameters within Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhinderanwale never made a bid which a meaningful discussion can take place, may be for Khalistan but was supporting the political agitation mentioned. It is now settled beyond a doubt, that the of the Akali Dal based on the Anandpur Sahib agitation suppressed by Indira Gandhi backed by the Resolution. It is also obvious that except for a few in permanent cultural majority’s (pcm) orthodoxy, was 1984, no political murders ever took place within the political in nature and had demands that were perfectly Darbar complex. It is not explained to this day, why legitimate and constitutional. Several times an agreed the security forces spread thick all over the state were upon solution was found to the issues raised. Every not able to apprehend murderers, who committed time, the agitating Akali Dal accepted the compromise murders all over the state and in Delhi. No explanation and every time Indira Gandhi, the other party, is given why the security forces never apprehended rescinded it. She indicated thereby that she was not in murderers who according to it rode forth from the favour of a peaceful settlement. Itching for shedding Darbar complex and returned to it after committing the Sikh blood, she aimed at escalating it into a Sikh crime although the Darbar was under a constant siege agitation. The only rationale given for the army attack by the para-military forces for the entire period of the on the Guru’s Darbar at Amritsar was that India Akali agitation? wanted to put an end to militant activity supposedly 2).Most of the writings on the events of the bloody originating in the shrine. This was factually incorrect decades have been done by journalists feigning as forty other shrines were also attacked. The end was ignorance of the political processes. They chose to not achieved as the escalation of violent activity was a have no perspective of history or of the spiritual thousand times more in the decade that followed it aspirations of a people as independent as they were
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entitled to be under the prevalent basic law. The pilgrims as could possibly be killed. A victim of this journalists substituted the lack of skills and mindset, she issued the diabolically inhuman orders, “I perspective with an ample measure of newly acquired don’t give a damn if the Golden Temple and the whole urban snobbery. They appeared to be supporting the of Amritsar is destroyed, I want Bhinderanwale dead.” orthodox hegemonic approach of the overwhelming By obeying these orders, her political supporters pcm wedded to solving every political problem throughout the country and the army generals stood violently according to its tradition. The resultant recruited as members of the eighteenth century academic discourse is vitiated by ample contempt for criminal sect that thrived on thugee. Its mode of the supposedly ‘less intelligent --- rural underclass,’ worship was the cold blooded murder of unsuspecting vitriolic language with destructive intent is thrown in pilgrims and travellers. for special effect. Many writings that have appeared 6).In My Truth, Indira Gandhi indicates that she are from the perspective of the megalomaniac fascist subscribed to the political theory evolved by the pcm Punjabi Hindu politicians who believe that since the after 1947. It affirmed that the pcm has the exclusive Hindus form an overwhelming majority of the right to rule the country. The census figures of three country’s population, they own every inch of India as decades that preceded 1984 showed that the Sikh they own their karyana shops. Their contempt for the population was increasing at an impressive rate. rural folk is endless and their hatred for the Sikhs and Hindus of the Punjab, about whom she pretended to be the Sikh faith knows no bounds. deeply concerned presented the state of species going 3). Voluntarily worn blinkers ignore the reality that politically extinct. It appeared that the Khalsa, the true Indian civilisation has produced a society that is model for Indian resurgence was slowly, but surely excessively violent right from antiquity. Myriad of the asserting itself. She concluded that it was time to take hymns in the Rigveda advertised as ‘mankind’s oldest decisive action to check the growth of the Sikh faith book’ sum up prayers for destruction of the perceived and the spread of the Khalsa consciousness. She enemy (read, political rivals). Mahabharta enjoys dreamt of swallowing up the Sikh faith just as the Jain scriptural status and is all about violence. All the gods and Buddhist faiths had been eradicated from India. and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are shown as She knew very well that she would be pandering to a armed to the teeth in the images that are worshipped in popular communal sentiment and some like A. B. every Hindu household. Nineteen hundred and forty Vajpayee were anxiously waiting in the wings to seven was perhaps the bloodiest year in the history of thrust the title of ‘Durga Incarnation’ on her. the pcm. The trend has not abated since. Every crisis 7). Being similarly inspired, Nehru, Patel and that has confronted the pcm has been resolved Munshi, the representatives of the pcm in the violently. Violence and intolerance have always Constituent Assembly, had undertaken to play the role dictated relationships with other cultures, societies and of single-minded fascists. They attributed the idea of nations as can well be judged by the fate of Dalits in Khalistan to the Sikhs. The strategy was to prevent Brahmanic India. them asking for fulfilling the promises, for an 4).While orthodoxy in the faith of the pcm is autonomous Punjabi speaking territorial unit solemnly characterised by the ubiquitous traits of violence, made to lure them into the Indian Union in 1947. On intolerance of dissent and attempts at acquiring popular communal demand Indira Gandhi assumed the political hegemony over neighbouring cultural and mantle of converting the Sikh association with India political entities, in the Sikh faith it has an entirely into a death trap for the entire Sikh nation. different connotation. It implies assuming 8). Her earliest instinct was to encourage foreign responsibility for promoting universal brotherhood scholars like W. H. McLeod to show her how the and establishing all inclusive institutions (for instance edifice so coherently put together by the Guru could langar). In a word, Sikh orthodoxy stands for acting be dismantled. Hew McLeod did his worst and was God in history. successful in producing a crop of indigenous scholars 5). On her return to political pre-eminence in 1980 who would follow a white man like rats following the after the notorious suspension of human rights during pied piper. To accommodate his flock, phoney well the Emergency, Indira Gandhi unveiled her ambition wishers of the community would soon establish chairs and started exhibiting a pronounced propensity to in foreign universities. The other function was emerge as leader of the chauvinistic section of the naturally to popularise his negative formulations, pcm. In her new incarnation of goddess Durga, she did although their hollowness was exposed on not forget the bottomless bowl in which the deity unassailable original evidence available in plenty. drinks her favourite drink - human blood. She was in 9). In pursuit of dismantling the Khalsa edifice, her her best form during the attack on the Guru’s Darbar father before her had propped up pseudo-religious which she ordered to commence on the martyrdom leaders to establish schismatic sects within the Sikh day of Guru Arjan. To see that she entrapped the faith. The game had been earlier tried without success largest number of innocent Sikh pilgrims to quench by Aurangzeb and Bahadurshah. Jawaharlal Nehru her newly acquired thirst, the curfew was relaxed for a had relied upon the Radhaswamis, Namdharis and few hours before the attack so as to kill as many Nanaksarias to perform the executioners’ job. Indira Gandhi depended upon the Nirankaris while continuing to support the Radhaswamis and
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Nanaksarias for the same purpose. Her evil mind supported Bhai Amrik Singh and some Dal Khalsa dreamed of bringing back the days when the statues of candidates for elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara hydra-headed and elephant-headed gods had polluted Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). It was an indication the pure spirituality of the Guru’s Darbar dedicated to that he wanted a change in the religious leadership of the Formless One. the Sikhs. He was able to garner a respectable measure 10). M. K. Gandhi, the true chief architect of India’s of support. Apart from the Akalis, this sent alarm bells vivisection in 1947, also had charted out a course for ringing in the central and state governments. these sects and cults. He made it his business to 13). Encouragement that the Nirankaris received from discredit the Sikhs. Invisible fascist hands under his the various governments in the Punjab and at the patronage started the killing of Muslims in Delhi. centre convinced them that the time for decisive war Ostensibly this was their attempt to pay back in the had come. They decided to make a beginning at same coin to Mahmud Ghazni, Muhammad Ghauri, Amritsar where they announced a parallel structure to Aurangzeb, Nadir and Abdali albeit a few centuries replace the khalsapanth. Some Sikh volunteers after their demise. Gandhi gladly embraced the role of decided to resist the onslaught. The Nirankaris ascribing the killings to the Sikhs. His ‘prayer unleashed extreme violence on the peacefully meetings’ in Delhi were attracting much attention in protesting unarmed Sikhs on April 13, 1978, at those heady days and he made full use of the media Amritsar and killed 17 of them excluding two attention to cast the Sikhs in the role of devils, bystanders. This firearm wielding Nirankaris were although they were the victims of the partition brought given police support. No one was arrested on the spot about by him and were then destitute and homeless. although the Nirankaris remained there for several Such situations are usually exploited by cowardly hours after the massacre. The case was transferred to a moral wrecks; Gandhi however, adjusted himself to court outside the Punjab by the central government. that role like a fish taking to water. Hard evidence was not presented. False evidence of 11). In 1911 Tagore in his article had summed up all innocence was cooked up. In the circumstances, the that the pcm found undesirable about the Sikhs. At court acquitted the sixty four accused.. No appeal about the same time David Petrie, the Assistant against the acquittal was filed. It soon became obvious Director of the Central Intelligence had noticed the to the Sikhs that there was no justice for them under deep rooted antipathy of the pcm to the administration the pcm’s dispensation. Under the perceived ‘Hindu of pahul by the Guru and to the rahit prescribed by imperialism’ the only way in which justice could be him. Gandhi too identified the same problems as the obtained was by extra-judicial execution. This was pcm was having with the Sikhs. M. K. Gandhi gave what the Sikhs did. When the Akali government in the precision to his “gurudev’s” formulations, It was the Punjab was dismissed by Indira Gandhi, the Akalis too separate identity that hurt the pcm the most. Based were obliged to exhibit their sympathy with the Sikhs upon this the strategy of the schismatic sects propped and the Punjab. They launched a peaceful agitation for up by the Congress governments at the centre, had redressing of Punjab’s religious and economic been chalked out. Central to them was to throw a grievances. challenge to the Tenth Nanak’s decree abolishing a 14) The decision to brutally crush the human Guru and of eternally bestowing the gurgaddi dharamyudhmorcha launched by the Akalis best on the Guru Granth. Gandhi subscribed to the suited Indira Gandhi’s design. She targeted amritdhari identical view. He frowned upon the separate identity, young Sikhs, the type of whom the Sant was the Sikh ceremonial sword, the Punjabi language and projecting in the leadership role. The first half a dozen the Gurmukhi script. All these became the points of Sikhs killed in contrived police encounters were those difference that the sponsored sects had with the who like Kulwant Singh Nagoke were reputed to be Khalsa. good Sikhs. So had been the 17 killed by her allies, the 12).Indira Gandhi had supported the Nirankaris Nirankaris on the Baisakhi day of 1978. Wanton depending upon them to wean away the Sikhs from violence was quite in keeping with her purpose. On their faith. The Punjab administration was instructed one occasion more than 20 agitating Akalis were to play them up. Sant Kartar Singh, head of the mowed down with a machine gun from a helicopter seminary at Mehta Chowk realised this early and when they were dispersing after stopping traffic on a correctly understood the purpose of the rulers. He road from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. Similarly the armed perceived Akalis as playing politics with even this forces fired upon the unarmed persons retiring to their serious religious issue. So the Sant braced himself up villages after witnessing the arrest of Sant to oppose both the Nirankaris and their mentors. He Bhinderanwale on September 20, 1981 and without organised some forty mammoth marches to oppose the provocation killed thirteen of them. Later (February Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi and her 14, 1984) the Hindu Sauraksha Samiti, supported by interference in the religious affairs of the Sikhs. His her minion called for a shut down to match the successor Sant Jarnail Singh continued to stoutly completely peaceful shut down of the AISSF (of oppose the nefarious activities. He broadened his February 8), and killed 25 Sikhs in Karnal alone, concerns further. In 1978, Sant Bhinderanwale where 6 gurdwaras were also burnt down. This is just a small portion of the blood that filled newly incarnated Durga’s bowl. The police and the Hindu
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crowds killing the Sikhs knew that immunity from the Gobind Singh Marg. He succeeded in his undertaking. operation of the country’s laws existed for them under The Sikh masses swung in his favour and forced the her dispensation. The official journal of the Indian Akalis to support his candidacy. He gained the army “Baatcheet” of June 1984 instructed those who sympathetic ear of the Akalis and was also able to get were to conduct the operations in the Punjab to regard their votes in the presidential elections on July 13, the amritdhari young men as those committed to 1982. terrorism. 17. The Hindu Press made much of the assassination 15). The unlimited fund of intense hatred that is ever of Lala Jagat Narayan to malign the real Sikh available with the permanent cultural majority helped leadership. They attributed it to Sant Baba Indira Gandhi in dealing with Bhinderanwale and all Bhinderanwale. We were then living in times in those who like him defied the illegal diktats of the which, according to Bhinderanwale himself, slaughter authorities and talked of religious freedom, rule of of every chicken and of every goat was likewise nailed law, true federalism, liberty, justice, inalienable rights, to his door. It had become most convenient and most people’s sovereignty and democracy. They were to be popular to blame the Sant. An attempt was made to projected as patrons of terrorism and separatism. It make him a conspirator in the murder of Jagat was done very efficiently by the loyal Press Narayan. Significantly, the alleged conspirator was notwithstanding the well known fact that the Sant arrested even before actual culprits were apprehended. always kept a copy of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution Jagat Narayan had a three decade old history of of the Akali Dal under his pillow to place political virulent Sikh baiting and had created enemies in every limits on his enthusiastic supporters. He never had a nook and corner of the Punjab. The evidence of his political party and no independent political denigrating Sikh values and running down Sikh programme. Nevertheless the Darbar was attacked to personalities is available in his own writings in the kill him and in the bargain to destroy Sikh institutions. Punjab Kesri group of newspapers owned and edited The only rationale sold to the gullible Indian audience by him. He also had been the main defence witness in was that all violent activity would end with his the Baisakhi Murder Case against the Nirankaris. His elimination and the destruction of the Akal Takhat. It son Romesh Chandra was following him in his soon became apparent to the neutral observer that pcm footsteps. In the central government sponsored had been wrongly briefed. Despite her authoritative situation of lawlessness, in which militants, vigilante propagation of the theory, the violence had escalated a groups, underground policemen and anti-social thousand fold after the June 1984 army attack. elements were operating freely, the resultant violence 16).Role of Sant Jarnail Singh during the Akali in the state was being attributed only to the Sikhs. In dharamyudh morcha was limited at best to aiding the the then prevailing circumstances, such assassinations Akalis in concluding an honourable peace with the surprised no one. It was an expression of extreme government. At the worst, he was keen for a complete irresponsibility to attribute them to the Sant and was change in the pliable political leadership of the Sikhs. interpreted as an attempt at browbeating those Giani Zail Singh was the self-proclaimed bought slave sincerely engaged in serving the people. Such tactics of Indira Gandhi, and prided himself on being a have never been rare in India since 1947. ‘sweeper at her door’ even after becoming the 18. This fishing in the cesspool was aimed at fattening president of India. He was in favour of preserving the the black goat as a prelude to sacrificing it to the Kali Akali leadership upon which he eventually relied to Kalkattewali. The Indian establishment and the Press betray Sikh interests. Amongst them the Congress and consciously rendered the honourable and pure minded the centre could easily find low minded collaborators Sant liable to be brutally murdered in the most in the venture launched by his mistress to destroy cowardly act. A strategy was calculated to endear the other nations and minorities. He was shrewd enough prime minister to the communal masses who to know that they had tasted political power and were perceived her as making efficient efforts at eliminating aware of the opportunities for self aggrandisement that Sikh influence from politics. It was the only route any betrayal would afford. The loot of gurdwaras had through which the 12% Hindus of the state could also catered to the same sentiment. Giani tried to gain effectively rule the Punjab. They all cooperated in credibility with the Sikh masses by pretending to be a placing the Sant’s life in the hands of a terribly good Sikh. This would allow him to manipulate the insecure woman striving to establish a dynasty in a Akalis. Giani looked upon this task as a service to the democracy. Her minions and army generals like Congress party and was duly rewarded for his efforts Vaidya and Brar readily prostituted themselves for the by being made the Home Minister of India after Indira most unholy act ever undertaken by any army since Gandhi’s return to political power in 1980. As the the Afghan army under Ahmed Shah Abdali (1762). chief minister of the Punjab his important venture had Her attempt at becoming the spirit of Hindu revivalism been to ‘lay’ a metalled road connecting all the places however failed. She lost it out to the more chauvinistic that Guru Gobind Singh had travelled to in his last and openly more fascist Sangh Parivar for whom it journey through the Punjab. Most of the metalled road was easy to inherit her political mantle even while the already existed. His contribution was to name it Guru dynasty remained in power. 19. Terrorizing the Sikhs was necessary for achieving the objective. Bhajan Lal, who in an unheard of
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expression of extreme unscrupulousness had defected fight to preserve his liberty. In a daring bid to guard to the Indira Congress along with the entire legislative the “ashes of their fathers --- the temples of their party the people had voted to power against the gods’, despite being hopelessly outnumbered, they Congress, came in handy for the purpose. It will be mocked at defeat and despair and gladly embraced remembered that subsequently, the same Bhajan Lal death. had been hoisted to power in Haryana by the Governor 22. Like the hordes of Abdali before them, Indira (nominee of the central government) although his rival Gandhi’s cohorts looted all that they could. The living Devi Lal had been elected by a vast majority. He did quarters of lay priests and journalist adjoining the much to convince the Sikhs that they were second complex were ransacked and plundered. Pilgrims were class citizens in India, could be bullied at will and raped. “Prisoners of war,” ranging from four to sixteen prevented from travelling on a national highway to the years of age and including women and Bangladesh capital of the country. He was just trying to please a citizens staying overnight in the rest houses attached benefactor who, in the interest of establishing a to the shrine, were taken. Peaceful volunteers who had dynasty was required to raise and then erase the fear of come to offer arrest in the ongoing agitation were a miniscule 2% minority in the minds of the pcm murdered. Bodies of several children with hands tied constituting 80% of India’s population. at the back and with a single bullet-hole in the head 20. The great deception was perpetrated with the help were brought in for post-mortem. Forces burnt down of the obliging Media that could never be raped the Sikh Reference Library, destroyed the Akal because it was ever willing. Indira Gandhi instilled the Takhat, killed hymn singers (for instance, the blind fear of an individual into the mind of India’s pcm until Bhai Amrik Singh) inside the Darbar, violated and it was fully numbed and completely petrified beyond trampled under military boots every inch of the sacred sensitivity of any kind. Bhinderanwale was dubbed a soil hallowed by the blood of martyrs. These martyrs terrorist although he was charged with no terrorist were those who had beaten back the invader Abdali crime. He was demonised in accordance with the and had rescued thousands of Hindu women and men cultural traditions of the pcm that remind one of saving them the usual fate atop the Hindukush where Shambhook, Eklavya, Bali and Ravana the king of Sri men were slaughtered and the bazaars of Ghani where Lanka. Armed with hatred of a whole community and women slaves sold real cheap. The martyrs also exercising absolute control over a slavish army, she included those who had re-conquered the whole of gave illegal and inhuman orders to kill one person modern day Pakistan, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and against whom there was no proof of guilt and who was Kashmir from the Afghan empire and had made it a at all times entitled to a legal trial. In the bargain she part of India. was prepared to destroy the five centuries old centre of Foreign hand canard a cultural tradition dedicated to nurturing a common 23. In addition, Indira Gandhi wanted to project the participative universal culture for the new human of Sant as an anti-national person. A vital part of her the new dawn. The Sant had the right to self-defence strategy was to insinuate that he was an agent of under all civilised law. Only low gladiators and foreign powers. A thesis of sorts was meticulously executioners would have taken up the hangman’s job built up. Deliberately left undefined foreign powers, she assigned to her generals. They mortgaged their allegedly jealous of the progress that India had made, conscience to a tyrant and accepted the supari to kill were supposedly prying around for an opportunity to an unarmed person lodged in a fixed location. They destroy India. Just to be on the safe side, the initiative pitted the might of a modern state against a mere was left with Russians who set the ball rolling. forty-five almost unarmed, untrained, and of course Russia’s official news agency, TASS reported that the absolutely innocent persons. KGB had deciphered the hand of Pakistan’s ISI and 21. Initial undertaking turned them into the goons of the American CIA behind the disturbances in the the Chhota Rajan or Pretender Rani gang. When the Punjab. On the date on which this was alleged killers accepted to carry out the field orders to (December 30, 1981) nothing much really sinister was eliminate him at any cost, they turned themselves into happening in the Punjab. The Akali Dal had just about a bunch of thugs who adored the Black goddess. The defined the problems that the Punjab and the Sikhs forces they headed, that instant were transformed into were facing at the hands of the central government. her worshippers. They tried everything in their Strategy to redress the grievances was being prepared. arsenal. It included armed personnel carrier, cluster Four months later on April 22, 1982, the home bombs, poisonous gases, machine guns, helicopter minister of India, alleged in the Rajya Sabha that the cannons and all else, yet they were held up for more communal clashes in Amritsar were inspired by than 72 hours. In those hours they lost more soldiers foreign powers with a view to causing disintegration than they had lost in an international war. The Battle of the country. This nebulous concept served her of Chamkaur fortress which was the inspiration of the purpose for long. cornered Sikhs came alive. David acquitted himself 24. Attempts at popularizing the proposition continued gloriously once again against Goliath. The Sant and to be made. India’s external affairs minister (P. V. his companions fought like every free man should Narasimha Rao) vended the imported Russian theory in a big way while speaking in the meeting of the
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consultative committee on June 27, 1984. He did not government. ‘India was facing a very difficult identify any particular foreign power either. situation in Punjab, and had Pakistan not extended 25. Then the astute Indira Gandhi took it up herself. cooperation, New Delhi’s position would have been She had done her worst at Amritsar and now wanted to different.’ The (former) prime minister said, “when milk the maximum amount of sympathy for the Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister, India was facing a dynasty. The paranoid woman projected herself as big problem --- it was on the verge of separation. Had living dangerously. While speaking in the Rajya Sabha Pakistan not helped them (India), God knows where on July 24, 1984, she said, “I am – butt of attack of – they would have been now. But we helped them some most powerful forces in the world.” Darbara because it is our principle not to interfere in others’ Singh, who was always more loyal than the king, affairs.” (The Tribune, February 15, 1994, p.1) identified the foreign powers for the first time in a 29. She had again said the same in another interview responsible forum. He talked of CIA and Zia-ul-Haq with the BBC before coming to Pakistan to contest the as operating through Dr. Jagjit Singh Chauhan to last elections of her life. Her statement was disputed destabilise India. This was too specific. It could have by a retired Indian civil servant. She was clarifying her at least caused a diplomatic storm particularly as the position a day before her assassination and according allegation was baseless. So Indira Gandhi intervened to some thinkers (for instance a free intellectual to contradict him. She said there was no specific brigadier Usman Khalid), it became the cause of her information and that what she knew she would not assassination. She elaborated on the kind of help she share with the public “in national interest.” This is also had rendered. She said that in a one-to-one meeting the position reflected in the White Paper on Punjab with Rajiv Gandhi, “where there was not even a fly on Agitation adopted by the government of India on the wall,” she had supplied the whereabouts of all the July10, 1984. Sikh militants to India. It will be remembered that all 26.The task of laying specific blame appears to have the leaders of the major militant outfits were been assigned to Lev Rovnin, the foreign minister of eliminated suddenly within few days. By this the Russian Federation who picked up the strings confession she had compromised her country’s honour while speaking at a function in the Indian Embassy at and security. It is a small wonder that she was killed Moscow. According to the Press Trust of India’s within 24 hours of this public disclosure. report of August 12, 1984, he claimed that it was 30. The next scion of the dynasty and sole owner of “irrefutably proved” that the CIA and the “aggressive the “inherited democracy” (Washington Times of June imperialist circles of Washington” were behind the 9, 1987, as quoted by the UNI report circulated to the Sikh militancy. Indian Press, the next day) continued to rave against 27. Benazir Bhutto and Zia-ul-Haq were the two the Sant and the Sikhs. But he was a crude and boorish persons whose governments are supposed to have man known more for his clownish approach to helped the militants in the Punjab. Fortunately we politics. The BBC in its Urdu service of June 9, 1987, have the authoritative versions of both of them. saw him as “dada” and a “school bully” in the region. Bhandara was a lone Parsi Member of Pakistan’s Sri Lanka’s president Jayewardene at one time Parliament. He was advisor to Zia on minority affairs implored him to abjure violence and to give up from 1982 to 1985. He was privy to Zia plan on the “bullying” with a view to stoking war, while affirming ‘Sikh separatists.’ Talking to The Tribune on May 8, that his country would never fight its “great 2003, after crossing over to India at Wagha he said neighbour.” (The Indian Express, June 10, 1987, 1.) “General Zia was opposed to the Sikh movement The same paper (in a front page article by the editor) because the map of Khalistan included territories of called him a “liar” and hinted that it was his Pakistan as well. He had stated that it was true that the permanent “trait” while referring to his oft repeated general would give all moral and other support to Sikh “nonsense about destabilisation.” It further observed hardliners but it was his standing order to all that under Rajiv even a solemn promise of the concerned to keep them under strict surveillance. Parliament meant nothing. Rajiv humiliated the chief Hence they were kept under virtual house arrest for a minister of Assam (The Indian Express, June 8, and long time. The general had also issued directions that June 9, 1987). The paper editorially observed that they should not be allowed to wage their movement Rajiv was inclined to be perfidious “opposition and from the soil of Pakistan. This revelation came as others have learnt, in one-to-one meeting they open shock to radical Sikhs. Bhandara had admitted that he themselves to the risk of being misrepresented --.” on and off met the hijackers of the Indian Airlines N.T. Rama Rao the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, plane in Kot Lakhpat and other jails as a part of his knew him to be ‘uncultured and ignorant’ to meet official assignment.” (The Tribune, July 20, 2008, 4) whom was to “waste time and money.” (The Tribune, 28. Pakistan under the other dispensation also June 17, 1987, 9). He was at his lowest ebb when he vociferously denied that it had helped the Sikhs. On called the elderly lawyer Jethmalani, a “dog.” the contrary it affirmed that it had helped India. In an Doggedly determined Jethmalani returned the interview to the British Broadcasting Corporation, compliment by insinuating that the prime minister was Benazir Bhutto said that she had assisted the Indian a ‘thief’ and a ‘liar.’ 31. In a highly sarcastic article in The Indian Express of June 13, 1987, one of our most respected
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columnists, S. Mulgaokar poured downright contempt maligning their most honourable contemporary who on Rajiv Gandhi calling him a “liar,” a “coward,” a has been voted the greatest person of the 20th century “promise breaker” and an “uncivilised person.” with all the Sikhs, the world over participating. Sanjeeva Reddy, the former President of India, Bhinderanwale’s contribution according to Surya Prakash, found him “in a state of 34. Bhinderanwale exposed the worst in the culture of confused mind.” (See, “Politics of abuse” in The India’s pcm. Its innate disposition which is brutal, Indian Express, June 18, 1987, 6) Rajiv Gandhi fascist and bloody was shown to have been built ‘condemned those as anti-national traitors’ who had around deep-rooted intolerance. Being violence prone misgivings about his assurances.’ Referring to it the at the slightest provocation the pcm had been ever author says, “Mr. Gandhi’s responses sounded harsh willing to destroy other nation’s holiest shrines on any and uncharitable then. They appear hollow now.” or no pretext. It supports a culture that has abiding 32. The Sikhs and the Sant could expect no better hatred of ‘the other’ as its driving force and hallmark. from the person for whom the entire opposition was This much had been known for centuries. The subversive, anti-Sikh, anti-national and inspired by Bhinderanwale episode served to highlight it. foreign enemies because it did not find the Anandpur Unbridled violence against a political opponent or a Sahib Resolution a subversive document. V. P. Singh dissenter has been the normal course when the who came as a prime minister after him, was ‘Raja opponent is weak. The same army however, recently Jaichand’ (who betrayed India in the tenth century and demonstrated reluctance to tackle the Maoists whose name is byword for treachery) to him. He equipped by China. The political leadership is keen invented the possibilities of Zail Singh dismissing him not to be left behind in pleasing the rebels. Shibu and of Pakistan attacking India in January 1987. Sorain the chief minister of Jharkhand publicly Farooq Abdullah’s government was dismissed on embraced the Naxalites as “brothers and sisters.” See- charges of communalism and support to anti-national saw game between the two sentiments is currently forces, soon Rajiv’s Congress was ruling in coalition going on. Fear triumphs over hatred for a while then with Farooq. In the last analysis, one purpose of hatred takes over again. Raw fear is not enough to inventing the ‘foreign hand’ theory was to wean away contain age old hatred and the bloodstained, brutally the leftist parties from the Akali agitation. This is why maimed bodies of killed Naxalites continue to defile the Russian services were used. the pages of publications. It appears that, the 33. For these reasons it may not be fruitful to analyse juggernaut will stop rolling only when the ‘might is Rajiv’s pronouncements about the Sant and the Sikhs right’ rule (lashtikaniaye of Chanakya) is fully or the canard of the ‘foreign hand’ theory. On established or when “brothers and sisters” take over resuming the discussion, the well researched the reins. observation of the Surya magazine becomes relevant. 35. The crafty Indira Gandhi thought she could hide It says that India imported the arms with the help of her motives by shedding a few crocodile tears, the ISI of Pakistan and it sent them into the Darbar pretended to rebuild the Takhat on the heavily veiled complex to implicate the Sikhs. The same is also true pretext of making amends. Perhaps she thought her of the arms that were dropped over Purulia at the time ‘victory’ was not complete until she had forced the when P. V. Narasimha Rao was the prime minister. Takhat built by her down the throats of the Sikhs. Had The truth that emerges from the scrutiny is that Indira she cared for Sikh traditions, she would have known Gandhi, her son, her cohorts and minions were not that the building erected by the National Building only supporting a blatant lie but were also themselves Corporation, in the garb of Nihangs owing allegiance conspiring with foreign powers to malign and harm to her home minister Buta Singh, was most unlikely to their own countrymen. They gave no explanation for survive for long. It had come to symbolise her their shameful behaviour but one was invented for arrogance. It was legitimately pulled down by the them by another foreigner attached to the British Sikhs at the first opportunity. The 26 kilograms of Broadcasting Corporation. Mark Tully in his Amritsar, polluted gold reportedly put on the purest of domes, (Rupa and Co. 1985, p. 208), is of the opinion that by ruthless, remorseless invader of the shrine, was Pakistan at that time was helping the United States in contemptuously thrown where it belonged – into the combating Soviet presence in Afghanistan. The fear of dust (bin of history). A martyr’s spirit had triumphed jeopardising relations with the United States prevented over the diktat of a tyrant. India from naming Pakistan. This is clearly an 36. An expression of the same defiant spirit was the inadequate ground as Indira Gandhi never exhibited a killing of the collaborating, self-styled Sant. Longowal pro-American sentiment and had no love lost for was shot dead for betraying the voluntary forces that Ronald Regan. India under her remained a satellite of were still locked in a grim struggle. Abandoning all the Soviet Union. This tribe of liars and calumniators shame and propriety, giving in to cowardice and in has not ended with the immediate minions of Indira extra-ordinary exhibition of poverty of understanding, Gandhi but has had an extension in lease of life he had blackened his face in history by signing the through those (likes of Chandan Mitra) who thrive on document of abject surrender otherwise known as the yellow journalism. They have no hesitation in Longowal-Rajiv Accord of 1986. 37. Again and again India miserably failed to correctly assess the situation. It had to learn again that the
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endurance, the emotional strength and the innate advancing all the time. The truism of history is: ‘a fighting capability of its opponents surpassed all tyrant dies and his reign ends. A martyr dies and his human limits. The battle that the Sant gave will be reign begins.’ remembered for thousands of years. On re-assessing, 39. Power-drunk and hungry slaves like Gill (KP) the red-faced journalists then called it the ‘Third Sikh organized sessions at Amritsar (as the depraved War.’ Though the assessment is marred by the Nirankaris had done in 1978) to signify that all human disproportionate numbers in the field of battle, the decencies, all moral values and spiritual velour that idea is well mooted. After 1984 they had their stooges the city stands for and Sant Bhinderanwale had draw clumsy maps of Khalistan and make tall claims. upheld, had been trampled under foot. They pretended These are then attributed to the Sant who never that they had scored a great victory over an unarmed subscribed to the idea and always supported the population supporting a potent idea. It was beyond Anandpur Sahib Resolution adopted by the Akali Dal. their comprehension that womanizers, looters of As a non-member he supported the political party defenceless people’s property, cruel tormentors of struggling for legitimate democratic rights. He never innocent people in custody, hired corrupt pimps of a subscribed to any formal political set up. The deep rotting culture propped up by the state power never desire of enthusiastic journalists promoting jingoism is determine the course of history. Those who believed to conjure up all the ghosts that disturb their sleep, that the temporary violent repression was a permanent attribute them posthumously to the Sant and pretend visitation saw their thoughts evaporate in 1999. In that that they have all been taken care of with his year Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale was voted the assassination. If one reads their minds well then a twentieth century’s greatest person by the Sikhs all disturbing image of the country emerges. A country over the world. These included important Sikh that has not seen even a century of independent institutions including the Shiromani Gurdwara existence, has yet gathered the arrogance of an empire Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the honourable of a millennium, notwithstanding two military defeats. citizens like the most celebrated poet – the author of The one in 1962 was the greatest disaster to have several immortal works, educationists, lawyers, happened to an army ever since mankind started generals, saints, scholars, news media personalities walking on two feet. The other was no less. It in and human rights activists. His images adorn almost addition it immortalised the Sant who died undefeated every Sikh household all over the world and his legacy and a proud sovereign man, a worthy Sikh of the lives on. When another one of his kind will arise to Guru. There is need to pay heed to Bhagat Kabir who move the masses to holier paths of spiritual self- says, “do not be condescending, do not mock a assertion, it cannot be said definitely but only a fool or (temporarily) disadvantaged people. The boat is still a cringing slave (in or out of uniform) will rule out on the high seas. Who knows what may still happen?” that possibility. 38.To make their ‘triumph’ appear complete the 40. The whole world knows of cultures that were criminal state, the deceiving Media and central defeated once and did not let out even a loud groan for governments agencies created false inheritors of Sant seven to nine centuries at a stretch. At least three times Baba Jarnail Singh Khalsa’s mantle. Some of them before in history, and once in our lifetime, tyrants have been dumped into oblivion, others have been have pronounced the Sikh people dead. Despite killed in an act of unparalleled perfidy, some others predictions of doom by inebriated collaborators, the still remain masquerading abroad and in India as Sikhs have always sprung back to life. One who has a pushers of mere radical slogans. It is a burlesque that lifetime ahead of him may securely place a wager on we have witnessed and are witnessing even today. It is that happening. much like the modern day ramlila complete with an 41. The other army operation that followed the one in actor burning down Ravana’s gigantic paper image June 1984, was for the purpose of humiliating and with great fanfare and in the presence of terrorising the Sikhs in the name of wiping out enthusiastically cheering crowds in every city and remnants of militancy. Its undeclared aim was to show town of the country. The same crowd invariably has who the masters were in India. In response to the orgy previously contributed to erecting the image. A nation of organised violence let lose by the armed forces, of corrupt pigmies, engrossed in looting its own despite the depraved brutality of Gills and Ribeiros, people is not best qualified to map the powerful their underground police, the regular police and their currents of history. Beant Singh, the murderer of allies, the Sikh young men met the might of the thousands of innocent persons including women and modern state without an iota of fear in their eyes or toddlers, was one day projecting himself as an equal of trace of hesitation on their brow. Ram and Nanak. Within three weeks of that hilarious 42). The concept of Khalistan that he had never proclamation, his body was literally in a thousand supported while alive, instantly became a loud slogan pieces. Walls and the ground around had to be to venerate his memory. India stood in the immediate scrapped to recover hundreds of them. Like all tyrants, danger of dismemberment. If history has a lesson it is tyrannous nations too have a lifespan. Retribution this, that the sceptre of such highly significant pulls them down in an imperceptible operation (Black moments is destined to reappear again and again until Ignominy!) which none can see coming but which is the goal is achieved or until the wronged spirit is appeased by paying a befitting tribute. Super-human
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struggles to preserve the sovereignty of the worthiest village roads and from amongst the worthy sons of the people under the sun do not just whither away. Punjab who still hold honour, truth, dignity and justice 43).What is significant in the post 1984 period is not as dearer than life itself. This time the one to come that phony protagonists of Khalistan were propped up will not be as innocent as the Sant was. His struggle and then defeated according to the script, but that the will be far more effective and far more successful. Sikh determination to live honorably came through the Those who created Pakistan are still around with the dark clouds of severe repression. In any civilized same pen and ink. If anything, their tribe is increasing. country rogue generals and politicians would have This time they have turned their attention to Khalistan. faced trial on charges of genocide. Several such trials All augurs well; the future appears to be bright. have been recently witnessed. Even today Hosne Mubarak is answering for ordering the killing of his 45). Every Sikh remembers the bloody dawn when own people. Slovodan Milosevic found the easier way they abandoned their ancestral lands losing their out. More than one hundred of those who held high relatives to communal frenzy and trekked to the land offices have been convicted of war crimes. Since that they then considered their own. The First Patiala was not possible in the circumstances of this recalls the day they pushed back the Razakars to once unfortunate land, the senior most general was shot like again reclaim Srinagar and the rest of Kashmir for a rat that he was. So also was the person who gave the India. Pakistani generals in their memoirs rue the supari, since this was the only way to bring her to memorable night when they had hoped to have ridden justice. to Delhi for breakfast. But their mounts, the Patton 44). It is the experience of Muslims before 1947 and tanks, were reduced to rabble and consigned to the that of the Sikhs after that year that the most graveyard of Asal Uttar in Khemkaran by the vigilant poisonous of all is not a viper in the grass but a Sikhs exhibiting extreme bravery. Pictures of general journalist wedded to serving the interest of the pcm. Niazi surrendering along with ninety thousand soldiers When the pendulum starts swinging in favour of the to general Jagjit Singh Aurora are still printable Sant and all he stood for, it will receive a great although stained by the blood of Shabeg Singh the impetus from the activity of modern day shallow other general who made that picture possible. Every journalists and their vituperative writings designed to Sikh farmer knows the contempt with which he spew venom all around. It was consistent Sikh hating snatched the begging bowl from the hands of Bharat and Sikh baiting of four decades that had given rise to and threw it away for good as a prelude to assuming the Sant Bhineranwale phenomena. It persists and will responsibility for feeding its teeming millions who surely cause another such to rise from the dusty have by now grown to over a billion. One wonders whether any of these performances will be repeated, should a similar situation arise again?
The Suicidal Missionary Chandan Mitra
Few individuals, at least in Indian history, have had Zail Singh when he was chief minister of Punjab in a so much blood spilt in their name as Jarnail Singh bid to contain Akali influence over the powerful Bhindranwale. If India lost its innocence and turned Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee into an intolerant and more violent nation in the (SGPC), the well-heeled body that controlled Sikh course of the turbulent 1980s, it was largely on shrines in Punjab including its Vatican, the Darbar account of a chain of events set in motion by a rustic Sahib in Amritsar. Of the Giani’s subsequent fall in preacher of orthodox Sikh tenets to his community’s the eyes of his community, despite his elevation to the rural underclass. A mesmerising speaker who could post of President of India, I recall a verse quoted rouse phenomenal passion among his listeners, evocatively by Khushwant Singh: Maazi ke dosh par Bhindranwale was an impressively built man, tall and gaye thay woh chadne/ Maazi ne patka sau-sau baar sharp-featured with a deep set of piercing eyes that (He tried to mount on the shoulders of the past/The sized up his interlocutors and instantly put them on the past felled him to the ground a hundred times). defensive through a steely gaze. His meteoric rise Trying to cater to the revivalist surge in Punjab, Zail from a small-time priest from the Damdami Taksal Singh built a highway named after the last Sikh Guru seminary, at Chowk Mehta near Batala in Punjab’s and most ludicrously walked behind a steed said to relatively impoverished Majha region, to a cult figure have descended from Guru Gobind Singh’s favourite of terror defined the first half of the 1980s. And the horse, picking up its droppings as it galloped to year 1984 was almost entirely shaped by him, first on Anandpur Sahib. No doubt that ignited the fervour of account of Operation Bluestar which led to his death religiosity, eventually helping the rise of in June, followed by the revenge killing of Indira fundamentalism in Punjab. Gandhi less than five months later. Bhindranwale cunningly used the Giani’s patronage Bhindranwale’s rise and fall was symptomatic of lead- and, in collusion with the Congress put up candidates ers of such diabolic cults. He was promoted by Giani for the SGPC polls, winning a significant number of
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seats from Gurdaspur Amritsar and Ferozepur of the Nirankari Baba, worshipped by his followers districts. He had no time for conventional SGPC or almost as a guru, inside his fortified headquarters in Akali Dal apparatchiks. He believed they had become Nirankari Colony near north Delhi’s Model Town. mealy-mouthed, corrupt and deviated from the martial The killing was cearly masterminded by Bhindranwale tenets of the faith. Although he never said this and that catapulted him into a hero in much of rural explicitly, he always implied that ‘wily’ Hindus had Punjab where Sikhs had been brought up to believe influenced the Sikh clergy into wheeling-dealing and that Nirankaris were a bunch of despicable heretics. they no longer inspired the youth. Deviant practices The subsequent targeted killing of the venerable such as shaving of beards, cutting off hair, owner-editor of the Punjab Kesari group, Lala Jagat abandoning the turban, apart from indulgence in Narain, followed by that of his son Ramesh Chandra, abhorrent addictions like drinking and smoking were to silence the newspaper group’s strident campaign on the rise among young Sikhs. against separatist militancy sent a chill down Looking back, I am not sure if Bhindranwale was a Punjab’s Hindus, sizeable minority of 37 per cent in terrorist by conviction who seriously sought Punjab’s the state. Arguably, then Haryana chief minister separation from India through force or if' he painted Bhajan Lal’s overzealous security drill for Sikh himself into a corner and became a puppet in the travellers to Delhi during the 1982 Asian Games did hands of Pakistan’s ISI which was looking for a face much to add to the community’s sense of grievance. In to project in its war of a thousand cuts against India fact, that was the turning point as far as to avenge East Pakistan’s dismemberment. Maybe he Bhindranwale’s acceptability to Punjab’s upwardly was carried away by crowds that thronged his mobile and outwardly modern middle class was pravachans in rural Punjab in which he railed against concerned. decrepit practices creeping into Sikhism and Punjab became a byword for spiralling violence after exaggeratedly spoke of the alleged betrayal of his Operation Woodrose was launched to mop up community by New Delhi, particularly the ‘biba’ terrorists after the deaths of Bhindranwale and Indira meaning Indira Gandhi. In that sense, he was the Gandhi. In fact, rudderless terrorist groups let loose latest in a long line of Sikh leaders who led episodic an orgy of violence in Punjab only in the aftermath of agitations to distance the faith from Hindu influences, Operation Bluestar, It was the only time that a unit of worried that the preponderant assimilative thrust of the army revolted: the Sikh Regiment based in Hinduism would overwhelm Sikhism the way it had Ramgarh, near Ranchi, shot its commander dead on done Jainism and Buddhism. news of the destruction of the Akal Takht. Historians have often traced the roots of this I recall visiting the temple in September 1984 and was assertiveness to the Jaito satyagraha of 1921, which horrified by what was left of the Akal Takht, then Mahatma Gandhi had described as “the first battle for under reconstruction by an opium-eating Nihang, Independence”, sparked by the Jallianwala Bagh Baba Santa Singh, protégé of Union minister Buta outrage of 1919. The Jaito movement was principally Singh, a Mazhabi (Dalit) unacceptable to the aimed at removing corpulent mahants who had taken dominant Jat Sikhs of the state. A few years later, I control of most affluent gurdwaras and, to attract was also present when Bhindranwale’s successor as large donations from Hindu traders, installed images Damdami Taksal, one Baba Thakar Singh, of Hindu deities inside shrines of a religion that ceremonially commenced the demolition of the Akal specifically prohibited idolatry. Takht, because it had been rebuilt by Tankhaiya Sikhs Later at the time of Partition, some Sikh leaders such like Santa and Buta and hence impure. That in the as Master Tara Singh did raise the demand for process, sword-wielding militants stripped the Khalistan, but the riots in erstwhile West Punjab that building’s dome of 26 kg gold sanctioned by Indira targeted Sikhs and Hindus equally reinforced the bond Gandhi for its renewal, and possibly sold it to buy between the two communities, which were jointly arms, is another matter. In death, Bhindranwale was, forced to flee to India. thus, a more potent figure than in life. The call for But the separatist strand resurfaced in Sikh politics Khalistan, muted in his lifetime, acquired a shrill from time to time on account of real or imagined overtone as the years passed. Till the arrival of hard grievances. In the late 1970s, Delhi’s walls were line counter-terrorist KPS Gill as DGP and the painted with slogans such as “Sikhs in Army 33% to brilliantly choreographed Operation Black Thunder in 12%. Why?” and “Nankana azad te Panth azad”, 1988, Punjab teetered on the brink of secession, referring to the Sikh holy shrine of Nankana Sahib despite the Rajiv-Longowal Accord of 1986, a peace now in Pakistan. Mainstream Sikh leaders also deal that cost the peaceable Sant his life. periodically targeted deviant sub-sects, particularly Punjab today is the antithesis of all that Bhindranwale the Nirankaris and to some extent Namdharis, for sought to propagate. When Gill, de facto ruler of the challenging Khalsa founder Gobind Singh’s decree state through the late 1980s, successfully organised a that none would be anointed guru after him. Shilpa Shetty Night and danced with her on stage in Bhindranwale, too, first hit the headlines by unleash- Amritsar in 1991, it spelled the lifting of the pall of ing violence on the Nirankaris. In a sectarian dash in terror, Two years later, Sukhdev Singh Babbar, head 1979, 17 people died. This was avenged by the murder of the puritanical Babbar Khalsa, a Bhindranwale- worshipping outfit, was shot dead in Ambala. His house in Patiala, which I was the first journalist to
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visit, revealed his opulent lifestyle as well as founding a Sikh Empire stretching to Delhi which in indulgence with two wives who shared the home com their fanciful notions they renamed Dashmesh Nagar plete with latest electronic gadgets including a in maps of the imaginary Khalistan that were satellite dish, the first I saw in India. Support for published with alarming regularity in the final years separatist terror evaporated in the aftermath of the of the doomed movement. discovery. Gill proclaimed he had worked himself out Bhindranwale brought out the worst in us. He was of a job. He had. gone by the mid-1980s, but his legacy lived long I believe the movement spawned by Bhindranwale enough to damage the fabric of India’s evolving began its downhill journey when motley obscurantists nationhood. Terrorist killings don’t startle us issued a firman prohibiting consumption of alcohol anymore. We have become sufficiently blasé to say and meat. Can you quite imagine a jolly good sardarji that unless it’s in double-digits, such mass murders who abjures his nightly whisky and generous portions don’t merit Page 1 treatment in newspapers. of tandoori kukkad? I recall my repeated visits to Bhindranwale shook India out of its comfortable Amritsar during those blood-soaked years, when in somnolence that had been merely jolted a few years company of journalist Rahul Bedi on his Bullet, we earlier by the Emergency. No doubt we are more sneaked into by-lanes and tapped the closed shutters mature as a nation than before. But we are perhaps of booze shops twice to convey we wanted a full bottle, more insensitive too. Maybe this had to happen some the premium be damned! day. But what I remember of it, life was so much more I am told Bhindranwale, probably India’s first media- languid before a humungous amount of blood was savvy terrorist, would allow journalists various spilt around a purported Sant’s diabolic persona. May liberties whenever they carne to interview him in Akal it never happen again Takht. His less intelligent, rustic followers were not (India Today 26 December, 2011)]. only more intolerant but also daydreamed about *****
History is repeating itself Gurtej Singh, IAS & IPS (Formerly) I [To those familiar with the events of the last four the judiciary decades in the Punjab, the situation appears to have would see a message in their off the cuff remarks to taken a full circle. History is poised to repeat itself. At the detriment of citizens who have the inherent right to an equally crucial time, Y. V. Chandrachud, the then unprejudiced application of mind by the judiciary.] Chief Justice of India (1978-1985), on tour of Patiala, On April 1, 2012, some of us representing various had made a significant pronouncement warning human rights organizations signed a memorandum to lawless elements (read, ‘those agitating for rights of be presented to all the primary functionaries of the the state’). It was none of his business to do so, but he government bringing to their notice the impropriety stopped to assume the mantle of the official committed by the judges and the far-reaching spokesman of the central government when he implications that it is likely to have. I take the liberty broadcast that warning. At the same time he was to present the same (below) to “we the people” who directing the judiciary to adopt tough attitude towards are the source of all power invested in the high the agitators. Sowing prejudice in the minds of an dignitaries to whom the memorandum has been important pillar of the State was at least reprehensible addressed. I request the people not to be indifferent to but was not treated as such by the people of India. the unfolding events but to take the bull by the horns Today we have a near parallel scenario unfolding itself by expressing displeasure at the impropriety which in front of us. Two judges of the Supreme Court, appears to be more than a mere impropriety. hearing a totally unrelated petition chose to make To April 1, 2012 observations about the case of Balwant Singh Rajoana 1. President of India, and its handling by the state government. The court of Rashtrapati Bhawan, NewDelhi. Justices G. S. Singhvi and S. J. Mukhopadhaya The Prime Minister of India, New Delhi. characterised the happenings of the previous four days The Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court Complex, as a “telling situation.” It alleged that a “high drama” New Delhi. had been enacted for political considerations “in a Sub: Observations of the Hon’ble Judges of the particular state.” This observation was made while Supreme Court of India with regard to the hanging hearing the petition filed in behalf of Professor of Balwant Singh Rajoana while hearing the case of Devinderpal Singh Bhullar. [See, The Indian Express, Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar. March 30, 2012, (4)] The court neglected the restraint Hon’ble Sir/s, that judges must observe while sitting in that high seat A petition for clemency on behalf of Devinder Pal of justice. They also did not care whether their Singh Bhullar, a Sikh by faith, against his death remarks would offend the Punjab in general and the penalty is pending in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Sikh people the world over who were supporting India. It came up for hearing before a Bench on clemency for Rajoana. They also did not realize that 29.3.2012. While hearing this petition, the Hon’ble
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Judges made certain observations with regard to the date which is a pretty long period and has mentally hanging of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana who has been and physically affected him seriously. In the legal convicted and sentenced to death in the case of late history this is a classical case where the acquittal and Beant Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab. death sentence is recorded. The ire of the Hon’ble Judges has been directed We also like to quote the case of Kishori Lal, a meat against the Punjab Government for demanding seller, who killed 13 innocent Sikhs with a weapon clemency for Rajoana. They have called it “a political used by butchers. For the killing of 13 Sikhs he was drama”, unmindful of the mass protests held in awarded Capital punishment by the trial Court but Punjab over the past four days. These observations when his case came before the Supreme Court, his have hurt the Sikh community. These remarks have death sentence was set aside by observing that he been made entirely out of context, as the matter in committed the murders on account of emotional question was not before the Court at all. The court was circumstances relating to the death of Mrs. Indira handling a case which was entirely different, having Gandhi. It is also a fact that he was going to be been based on different facts and circumstances. released after suffering Observations made in relation to Bhai Balwant Singh imprisonment of some years. However because of the Rajoana by the judges concerned are unwarranted and representation of the Sikh organization his release was uncalled for. It is a sad reflection on the Indian forestalled. judiciary, which seems to be biased against the The Indian judiciary chose to be silent over the killing minorities. It took no notice of the false encounters of thousands of Sikhs in November 1984 in Delhi and and extra-judicial killings of the minority communities in other places in India, besides destruction of their in India. The silence of the judiciary over burning holy places and property worth billions. Again the issues like demolition of Babri Masjid, Godhara demolition of Babri Masjid is also a historical fact and killings, killings of the a glaring case of participation of a political party Christians and burning of their churches did not even helped by religious organizations. The killing of touch the conscience of the persons manning the Muslims in Gujarat is also a recorded fact in the judicial system. history besides the killing of Christians and burning of Let us quote a few instances which clearly reflect the their churches at bias of Indian judiciary against the Sikhs. In the case difference places in India. No High Court or the of hanging of Kehar Singh an accused in Mrs. Indira Supreme Court took suo moto notice of such most Gandhi case, even the top jurist Justice Tarkunde and tragic events in which the minorities suffered in terms legal luminary H.M. Seervai took cognizance of the of lives, property, prolonged imprisonments and other biased judgment of the Supreme Court. Minoo miseries. One fails to understand why any High Court Masani, an eminent Constitutional Lawyer and a or the Supreme Court did not take suo moto notice of Member of the Lok Sabha such painful and tragic events. It seems that it was not pointed out: “ ... I refer to the execution of Satwant done so because the minorities were at the suffering Singh and Kehar Singh, the first of whom was end. undoubtedly guilty of murder and the second was just The observations of the concerned judges of the as clearly innocent. Kehar Singh’s execution amounts Supreme Court are to be viewed with great anguish. It to judicial murder, since it is based on a miscarriage reflects their biased attitude against Bhai Balwant of justice on the part of the courts of law.” Singh Rajoana, while hearing the case of Devinder Pal Mr. Seervai observed: Singh Bhullar. “After a full discussion of the questions involved in The situation is reminiscent of the mindset of the the conviction of Kehar Singh by the three judges, I Kazis during the Mughal rule, who delivered decisions end as I began. I agree with Mr. Tarkunde, a retired which proved detrimental to their governing system. judge of the Bombay High Court that even a dog could Executions of Guru Arjan Dev[Sahib], Guru Tegh not be hanged on the evidence led against Kehar Bahadur, the two sons of Guru Gobind Singh and Singh. And I also agree with Mr. Minoo Masani that many others led to the eventual decline of the Mughal the conviction of Kehar Singh was “judicial murder”, Empire. that is, “death caused by court sentence held legal, but It is high time that the Hon'ble Judges should uphold unjust”. the dignity of their high offices and should create an In the case of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar who was atmosphere of faith and trust so that the minorities do deported from Germany with an understanding that no not feel let down. Fractured verdicts given by the capital punishment will be awarded to him, was Apex Court in the cases of Kehar Singh and Devinder convicted and sentenced to death on the sole piece of Pal Singh Bhullar have left deep scars on the Sikh evidence of his unsigned confessional statement sensitivities. Indiscrete comments of the Hon’ble purportedly recorded by a Superintendent of Police. It judges and judicial overreach is a fact that the Presiding Judge of the Bench of are matters of utmost concern. Supreme Court acquitted Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, Yours faithfully, whereas the other two judges upheld his conviction II and sentence and he is suffering the imprisonment till [Some public spirited people called for a state-wide shutdown to protest against the execution of death sentence awarded to Balwant Singh Rajoana, accused
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of conspiring to kill Beant Singh Rajoana, the then circulated newspapers of the region. I urge the reader chief minister of the Punjab. The judgment is still to to become aware of the consistent propaganda that become final and the execution of Balwant Singh the press is conducting to misguide the Punjabis in Rajoana before that if it happens, will be travesty of general and the Sikhs in particular.] justice. Eight ordinary citizens of the Punjab 1 announced a shut-down in the entire Punjab on the (Letter to the Editor for publication) 28th of March, 2012, against the execution of Balwant From : Gurtej Singh, Singh Rajoana scheduled to take place on the 31st of 742, Sector 8, March 2012. The punishment was so blatantly unjust Chandigarh. that the entire Punjab arose to record protest against it. To: The Editor, The Tribune, The shut-down of the 28th March, 2012, was [email protected] complete. Dear sir, People of Punjabi origin took part in the protest the I have been reading The Tribune for several decades. world over. For the first time in several decades there Though I have always found it amply dispassionate in was unanimity amongst the people that injustice was depicting news and views that affect the people in being done and it needed to be thwarted by popular general, but have always found it abandoning the disapproval. degree of generosity when matters concerning the The newly elected government of the Punjab rightly Sikh issues or personalities come up for reporting. The stood by its people and represented in the matter to the same gingerly attitude is adopted when those issues president of India. That earned some reprieve to the (wrongly) perceived to be Sikh issues are dealt with. condemned man. The hanging was postponed for the In the past this attitude complemented by the time being. It appears that at heart, the government Jalandhar division Press, has been responsible for was not convinced that it had conducted itself bringing much misery to the people of the region. properly. During the last disturbed decades Press observers had In the most stupid way of all it went ahead to indicate several occasions to see bias being reflected in the that. This was by arresting all the people whom it columns of the paper that is liked by many in the considered real custodians of the Sikh sentiment in the region. The situation of the Punjab requires Punjab and put all of them behind bars on the very absolutehonesty in representing varied points of view. evening of one of the most successful shut-downs in In this background I bring to your notice the reporting recent history. On the date of writing, April 4, 2012, on the latest bandh of the 28th March, left much to be these leaders of public opinion are still in detention. desired. On the first page was the news entitled, “Near People of the Punjab are entitled to ask why this is total bandh in Punjab.” The headline was only happening. Why those who represent the Sikh spirit in technically correct and the news depicted under it tried particular and the Punjabi sentiment in general, are to make the Balwant Singh Rajoana issue a Sikh cast behind bars by a government which claims to versus Hindu issue. The complete nature of the bandh have been democratically elected less than a month in urban centres like Ludhiana and Jallandhar suggest prior to the arrests of the 28th. Has it lost its that the people did not consider the issue a communal representative character so soon that it is mortally issue at all but gave the message that under all afraid of a handful of leaders who, according to the circumstances justice must be tempered with mercy if newly elected, represent nobody? Those arrested it is not to become a tyranny. That was remarkable and appear to have a point of view that is endorsed by the should have been reflected. whole of the Punjab, all the Punjabis abroad and all The headline at page 5 was equally Janus faced, wide-awake citizens of the world who consider “Clashes in Patiala leave five injured” screams the execution to be barbaric and want no destruction of headline. The sub heading is actually more true and of life. We must all ask why the leaders of the people general applicability, It reads, “Complete shutdown in who have correctly articulated their concerns, are state over Rajoana’s hanging.” The latter deserved to being held in prison all over the Punjab? The be the main headline on the first page and the contents intimidation of such leaders goes against the of the news regarding Patiala could have been democratic spirit and ethical behaviour. We must depicted under the headline at page 5. demand their immediate release.] By harnessing less than generous attitude to depict this III most important news of the region, your paper has [The Akali-BJP government is not the only entity that contributed to distortion in the popular mind not is not able to make sense of the emerging phenomena. inclined (as the average reader invariably is) to go We have confused politicians unable to speak for or deep into the news item. against the death sentence. The Press too is not I have had several occasions to bring the peculiar providing proper guidance but is trying to detract from attitude of The Tribune to the notice of several of your the enormity of the sentiment behind the proposition predecessors and the distinguished members of the to grant total clemency. It is now resorting to the tricks Tribune trust. I was hoping that with your coming no that it has been playing for decades in the Punjab. such occasion would arise in future. Please don’t Placed below are three letters to the editors of widely prove me wrong. This state deserves better attention particularly by your paper.
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Regards, against the innocent deceased and a ‘particular 2 community’ as you would say. It has shielded the real (Letter to the Editor for publication) culprits who went about sowing virulent From : Gurtej Singh, communalism without a cause. It has tried to shield 742 Sector 8, the police which went on a killing spree at the victims Chandigarh. of the communal activity. To: The Editor, The Indian Express, Kindly make amends as best you can. My further editpage@expressindia .com request to you is to remind your highly communalized April 2, 2012 reporter(s) that the news is sacred in all circumstances Dear Sir, and may not be distorted, if for nothing else, it would I have been a keen observer of the events in the be worthwhile to refrain just to preserve Punjab since 1978. I have also been reading The respectability of your esteemed paper. Indian Express since my student days. The paper was Regards, well known for its integrity. Its role during the 3 notorious Emergency [Suspension of Civil Rights alias (Letter to the Editor) Totalitarian Rule of Indira Gandhi] imposed by Indira From : Gurtej Singh, Gandhi [in 1976] was exemplary and must have 742 Sector 8, inspired generations of journalists dedicated to Chandigarh. objectivity. Somehow it became selectively objective April 4, 2012 with the beginning of the Akali Dharamyudh To: The Editor, The Hindustan Times, Morcha. It developed a faulty vision as will be Ramesh. [email protected] apparent from the writings particularly of Mr. B. K. Dear sir, Chum. The particular slant against the Sikh people has I am a regular reader of your esteemed newspaper. It continued since. is painful to observe your paper straying from the Much water has flown down the rivers since 1984. universal norms of journalism. Please see the news Those responsible for the turmoil have sheepishly item “DGP Saini’s appointment challenged in high apologized, some gracefully, some in their usual court.” At page 4 of your Chandigarh edition dated crooked style. The entire Press has been more than April 4, 2012. Your correspondent set out to convey satisfied with the modern Akali’s disowning the the news about the filing of the petition. One reading it ‘Panthic agenda.’ Unfortunately the Press has still not would expect to read something about the contents of abandoned its anti-Sikh stance. This will become the petition and the rationale for presenting it. Except apparent if you dispassionately analyze your reporting for knowing that a criminal case is pending against the on the recent events in Gurdaspur. Persistent attempts DGP in Delhi, one is none the wiser about these vital have been made to popularize a garbled version of the aspects. These eleven words do not help the reader in event to the advantage of a ‘particular community’ - to making up his mind about the correctness or otherwise use the cliché that the Press often employs. of filing the petition. Please refer to page 4 of your esteemed newspaper In a classic example of shooting the messenger your dated April 1, 2012, wherein your correspondent correspondent has concentrated on discrediting the Navjeevan Gopal has presented the happenings at NGO on behalf of which the petition is presented. Gurdaspur (“Deputy SP, ASI booked for youth’s More than 130 words have been used to challenge the murder”). Jaspal Singh a young engineering student credibility and character of the NGO though these was killed in the police firing on March 29, 2012. aspects are not relevant in a complaint alleging Your paper has made it appear as if the incident had criminality and inadequate application of mind by the taken place on the 28 when the bandh in favour of appointing authority. Simranjit Singh of Ajitgarh who Balwant Singh Rajoana was being observed. He has is a respectable member of the high court bar has been thus tried to provide a justification of sorts for the described as nondescript ‘one -- resident of SAS police firing and the killing of Jaspal Singh and by Nagar.’ implication the injury caused to others in that totally The correspondent, tracing the devil to its door (bure unjustified police firing. Your paper has written, de ghar tak), has tried to dig up some dirt about the “Jaspal was one of the protestors taking part in the NGO and alleges that it has been questioning the demonstration in Gurdaspur seeking clemency for judiciary without mentioning whether the criticism is Balwant Singh Rajoana – convicted for the legitimate or baseless. To further discredit the NGO he assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant has tried to relate it to the arrest of Simranjit Singh Singh – when police opened fire.” Mann of the Akali Dal and others though a reading of The fact, however, is that the firing took place on the the petition suggests no such context. SS Mann and 29th March when the Hindu Shiva Sena was trying to others have been unfairly described as radicals though publicly burn effigies of respected Sikh personalities they are functioning within the four corners of the in reaction to the bandh that had taken place a day constitution and have been regularly contesting earlier. The wrong context has distorted the news elections. The honourable judge has merely asked the NGO to show that it has been concerned about public affairs in the past. That is entirely reasonable and does
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not have the sinister connotation your correspondent This constitutes distortion. I hope you will make has tried to place on the pronouncement of the judge. amends. Regards, *****
Badal’s Formula For Everlasting Peace In The Punjab Gurtej Singh, IAS & IPS (Formerly) Professor of Sikhism
Another recent news is worthy of being brought to the had been able to make a dying declaration, based upon people’s notice. While speaking to a gathering on the which the High Court has ordered the registration of a death anniversary of Gurcharan Singh Tohra, the chief case for murder. Simultaneous with the announcement minister of the Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal paid of the programme of oath taking by the new chief “laurel tributes” (whatever it means). Just before his minister, another two significant news items were death he had denounced Tohra as agent of the broadcast by the News Media. One said that Balwant Congress and had expelled him from the Akali Dal. Singh Rajoana would be hanged on March 31, 2012. Now “paying laurel tributes to Jathedar Tohra, the The other was regarding the appointment of Sumedh Chief Minister said that he was the only multifaceted Saini as the Director General of the Punjab police personality of the panth [Guru Khalsa Panth] who had [DGP]. The announcement of Rajoana’s hanging was contributed immensely in every field whether it was curious as the orders had been despatched much religious, political, social or educational.” He is earlier, but the announcement was (deliberately) further reported to have lamented that “some inimical withheld to synchronize with the event of oath taking. forces were trying to mislead people about SAD The appointment of Sumedh Saini had naturally to [Shrimani Akali Dal] by using ‘panthic agenda’, he come at that stage only. Sumedh Saini is a person however said that, SAD has always adopted the who is perceived to have done perhaps the greatest ‘panthic agenda’ as shown by the Sikh gurus which number of extrajudicial killings of innocent persons include welfare of all sections of society, communal in police custody during his tenure as police officer harmony and giving equal respect to every religion. in the Punjab. In one case, unrelated to militancy, Raising slogans of hatred and adoption of warpath the P&HHC had ordered an enquiry by the Central always could not be termed as ‘panthic agenda’,” he Bureau of Investigation. Based on its stated. The excerpt has been taken from The Pioneer recommendations, the concerned court had framed of April 2, 2012 but could have been culled from any charges of abduction of three persons and related of some two dozens papers of the day. Badal’s speech offences under sections 341, 342, 364 and 120B of was well reported for it has far reaching consequences. Indian Penal Code. The trial in that case is in The Sikh people must understand what PS Badal is progress. For that reason alone, he saying and must record its reaction. It is not enough to could not have been appointed. There were other run him down for the speech; the proposition that he matters against him including strictures by a judge of has been mooting since 1996 (when the 75-year-old the High Court. His appointment contravened Shiromani Akali Dal was converted into a Punjabi instructions of the Supreme Court of India. More than Party) has not been understood in proper perspective half a dozen officers senior to him were qualified to be and has lead to unnecessary misery for the Sikh appointed according to the Police Act. There is no people. mistaking that his appointment was meant to convey a To analyze Badal’s proposition properly, we need to message like the other two events mentioned above. take notice of related facts. After the elections had Before the matter of Badal’s pronouncement is taken concluded and results were still to come, we heard of up for analysis, another two of his pronouncements in the death by burning of Kulwant Singh Varpal who recent times may also be placed on record. One is the had been in Amritsar jail after having been ‘picked up’ new-year message released by Badal at the end of by the police on July 21, 2010. He had been tortured 2011. In that he claimed credit for preserving in front of the family members when he was picked up communal harmony and law and order in the Punjab. and subsequently. While in custody he had been This was strange, as no serious threat to both had been severely tortured physically as well as mentally. As a noticed during his tenure as chief minister. On the eve result of the torture his kidneys had become non of his functional and he had to be moved to a hospital. A being sworn in as the chief minister on the 14th of petition was put in the Punjab and Haryana High March (see, Ajit, Jalandhar of March 13, 2012, 1) he Court (P&HHC) at Chandigarh and is pending. On the had conveyed to the press his desire to maintain 11th of February came the news that Kulwant Singh ‘communal harmony and promotion of goodwill.’ He had been set on fire inside the jail premises while he counted this amongst the reasons for which he had was sleeping in his prison cell. He was brought to the been re-elected. hospital and succumbed to severe burn injuries. He The anti-Sikh stance of his coalition partner, the
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Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has been pronounced come to the court. The SGPC run Dental College throughout the history of its existence as political appears to have party. Its opposition to clemency to Balwant Singh contrived to make it a big issue. Singh Sahib Bhai Rajoana which the entire Punjab supports is well Darshan Singh, then former Acting Jathedar, was known by now. It has resulted in the death of an excommunicated for preaching the Sikh thought that innocent 18-year-old student in police firing at the panth has upheld ever since its existence. Elections Gurdaspur and in causing bullet injuries to several to the SGPC, with the connivance of the Gurdwara others. The incident took place on the 29th of March. Election Commission, were held affording full The police was perceived to have acted in behalf of opportunity to the non-keshadhari to vote. During the the Hindu Shiv Sena, last tenure of this chief minister, the state police went which is a member of the Hindutava forces like the on a turban removing spree to offer insults to the Sikh BJP. It is significant that on the 28th of March some community. It has resumed the nefarious activity goons of the Shiv Sena had beaten up some Sikh within a fortnight of Badal’s return as chief minister. young men and had insulted them by removing their Incidents and events of this nature could be multiplied. turbans. A police case against the culprits had been In consequence of pursuit of the broader philosophy registered. This becomes another input for the outlined above, the representation of the Hindus in the intended analysis of Badal’s pronouncement at Tohra Badal Akali Dal will go on steadily increasing. The village. BJP will go on making progress in this regard This “vision of the SAD-BJP government” appears to although the Hindus form only 14% of Punjab’s be composed of elements that form the propaganda population. Hindus in the Congress and outside will plank of the Congress (I) party. The core element of see their future in joining the either of two parties. The this philosophy since at least 1911 has been that the Sikhs who form 63% of the Punjab’s population will tenth Guru introduced a kind of aberration in the Sikh be steadily movement by developing it along militant lines. That marginalised. Badal has shown the way by getting a this has nothing to do with the spiritual aspect of Sikhi Hindu candidate elected from a purely Sikh [Sikh Religion] and needs to be got rid of; as this has constituency in Faridkot. It is calculated that peace of been expressed in a variety of ways by both the the graveyard will come to reign eternally. We are Congress and the BJP. Eventually a strategy appears watching the forceful launching of that trend today. to have been worked out to fulfil the common Badal’s philosophy, adopted after he became the sole ambition of both the parties. This appears to have arbiter of the Sikh religious and political affairs, is that converged on entrusting the entire political power to a the Khalsa rahit is the cause of all ills of the Sikhs. Sikh who would become the instrument to rid Sikhi of The Sikhs must give up all social concerns. Matters social concerns. In return he would be given unbridled like the river water and rampant injustice must not be political power in the state. On those terms Badal contended. He is indicating this by frequently appears to have become a willing tool in this unholy imprisoning those leaders of public opinion who have war by the Congress and the BJP. To what level the the potential of contesting his point of view. Choice information has been allowed to percolate within the before the Sikhs is either to become shorn slaves of relevant organisations is anybody’s guess. This an alien culture as is implied by non-resistance to philosophy has also been responsible for the oppression or to show to the world how the Tenth promotion of the dera culture in the Punjab. King’s rahit is the essence of Sikhi and[or] The inauguration of Badal’s last term as chief minister constitutes the next stage of development of coincided with the appearance of an article which humankind. To be fair to all, Badal must also spell suggested that the ‘preaching of nine years cannot out his proposition clearly for everyone to respond. replace preaching of two hundred and thirty years.’ It The shadow boxing must end before it does more thus harm to Sikhi and to the Punjab. The Khalsa of Guru sought to reject the contribution of the Tenth Nanak. Gobind Singh must also clearly spell out its reaction Then there was the affidavit by the Shiromani and say whether it supports the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) that blasphemy that Guru Gobind Singh was different from avoided providing the spiritual, religious and his nine predecessors? It must answer whether he had philosophical rationale for the Khalsa rahit [Sikh an agenda independent of them all. Time has come for Code of Conduct] as required by the P&HHC. It the Sikhs to affirm solidarity with the Ten Guru’s almost invited an adverse judgement which could have vision of social dynamics or to finally turn their become a major hurdle in many ways. The main suit backs upon it. The matter brooks no further was frivolous and should never have been allowed to procrastination. *****
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THE COLDED-MURDER OF JASPAL SINGH Gurtej Singh, IAS & IPS (Formerly) Professor of Sikhism
On an earlier occasion, I had written to more than two The recent case of Dana Sangma, another young newspapers of the region protesting against the student from the North East who committed suicide on distortion that has almost become second nature of the April 24, 2012 at Gurgaon, after being wrongly Indian Media when it carries news and views accused of copying at an examination is also pertaining to the Sikhs and the Sikh issues. I am significant. It provoked a well articulated debate on compelled to write again as under to The Tribune, the national television although the suicide is not in although I am certain that like the two other letters doubt. written earlier, this one will also be ignored. The The response of the Sikh people to the Gurdaspur purpose of writing is to hold a mirror to the faces of killing was phenomenal. At least ten thousand people our great leaders who fondly believe that they are turned out at Jaspal’s last rites. His family was made firmly tackling the Sikh problems. If they are not able to feel that the whole community was with them in to speak about the deep-rooted prejudices that lead the their hour of grief. Sikhs all over the globe felt the state to frequent killing of the Sikhs in cold blood, pain and registered their sorrow and dismay. Why are they ought to evaluate the worth of service that they our leaders not able to convincingly pursue the case of are rendering. The people must also become aware murder against policemen who killed Jaspal Singh about their leaders who do not protest against blatant with a gun? and potent distortions that eventually become the When a youngster of the same age was killed in USA reason for glossing over the past murders and help in by a security personal, President Obama’s loud lament paving the way for committing fresh ones. The Sikhs was, “if I had a son he would have looked like him.” must remind their leaders that the state repression and Must not someone ask our leaders why they do not the Media support for it needs to be exposed if they feel the same way about our children? Finally, why is are really concerned about the people they claim to our blood so cheap in India after 1947? lead. They must realize that leadership is not just There is yet another serious aspect of the matter which pinching money from the pockets of the led to satisfy must dawn upon our leaders. An official document of their own desire for luxurious living. It is not enough the United States defines terrorism as the “calculated that they simply issue high pitched statements to use of violence or threat of violence to attain goals that convince themselves that they are alive and are going are political, religious or ideological in nature (carried about their business seriously. Something concrete is out) through intimidation, coercion or instilling fear.” required. Going by secular, democratic ideals revered all over Call needs to be issued to each and every Sikh to wake the world, liberty and rule of law confers on every up. Another determined round of repression (that human group the right to lead their lives according to never really abated since 1982) has begun. Save other the culture they hold dear. Our leaders must ask why to save yourselves! the Sikhs in India are being intimidated on the dictates The reader may contrast the attitude of our leaders of the permanent cultural majority (pcm) to rescind with the leaderless response of mere students from the their allegiance to the Sikh faith, to Guru Granth Sahib most backward part of the North East of India. and the rahit of amrit prescribed by the Tenth Nanak? Richard Loitham (19) was a student of Architecture at The evidence of the existence of this diktat is ample the Acharya NRV College of Architecture at and conspicuous. The constitution of India refuses to Banglore. He was found dead in his hostel room on recognise the Sikhi as an independent sovereign faith April 18, 2012, The police entered this happening in whereas other academic and cultural entities all over its Unnatural Death Register because the day previous the world have no difficulty in doing so. Why does the to it he had had a motorcycle accident and it was Indian ‘secular’ state insists on assuming powers assumed that he had died of injuries sustained in the under Article 25 of the constitution of India to bring accident. There was spontaneous uproar alleging racial about reforms in the Sikh faith? In the seven decades profiling, citing prevalent climate of hatred and of decolonised India there are thousands of incidents hinting at murder. This was the spontaneous reaction of setting fire to Guru Granth, the scripture considered of the students of that region studying in the various by the Sikhs to be their living Guru and why has none cities of the country. The allegation was that a student ever been punished for causing hurt to the religious with whom he had a quarrel on the day of the accident sentiments of a section of the people? The same can be had so badly beaten him up that he succumbed to said as truthfully and with more emphasis for the injuries while in sleep. The body was exhumed and destruction of Gurdwaras with administrative support. evidence of skull injuries was literally unearthed. The Can it be seriously denied that the promotion of the demonstration of grief had been so powerful that on human heads of anti-Sikh sects in Sikh garb May 1, 2012 the police was forced to register a case of (Radhaswamis, Nirankaris, Dera Balllan followers, murder under Section 302 of the IPC. Dera Sirsa, Dera Ashutosh etcetra) aimed at encouraging the Sikhs to repudiate allegiance to Guru
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Granth Sahib and the rahit of amrit is the pcm’s essentially dictated by the police. It is not even news method of bringing about reform? Since the 1980s and is sheer propaganda aimed at absolving the police why has the police administration made forcibly of the dastardly murder which should have shamed removing turbans from the heads of Sikhs a mode of every Indian and should have earned the disgust of all administering law and order? Why at the behest of the liberty loving democratic people with conscience. pcm is the administration going on an amritdhari The picture printed is that of three policemen one of killing spree? The latest example is the liquidation of whom is in an advanced state of striking some one not Jaspal Singh on the demand of the Hindu Shiv Sena shown in the picture. The caption below it reads, “a just because Jaspal Singh had protested against the file photo of policemen fighting a violent mob in removal of turbans from the heads of the Sikhs by the Gurdaspur.” In all probability it depicts the police Shiv Sena on March 28, 2012. running after some people who are making a hasty After reading even a list prepared at random above, retreat. Clips placed on the YouTube show the police can our leaders say that there is no attempt at attacking a handful of students and others trying to calculated use of violence and a constant threat of escape from the sudden, unprovoked and severe attack violence to attain the goal of eliminating Sikh of the armed constabulary. That is why you could not ideology, Sikh faith and the Sikh people through show who the police is attacking. The ‘crowd’ you intimidation, coercion and instilling fear? Except for hint at was a handful of unarmed local undergraduates those enjoying benefits for remaining silent spectators protesting against excesses of the previous day. Are why are others wedded informally to be forever you not ashamed that you have published a part of a dumb? Instead of preaching Khalistan to us, and picture in an attempt to mislead the public opinion? Is rendering the emotional people into cannon fodder, that the function of a newspaper of your standing? why are they not inspired by Slovakia, Kosovo, East The report, if we can call it that, is clearly dictated by Timor and South Sudan to argue our case in the unnamed “senior police officer” whom your international fora? Why are they bogged down by the reporter quotes profusely. The suggestion of your subtlety of the operation genocide being carried out in source that particular suspended policeman is “being India? Those who presume to lead us why are they made a scape goat” is preposterous as an innocent boy refusing to understand that the Sikhs, like any living has lost his life in the prime of youth. Your paper organism, have the right to live and to live honourably exudes empathy for the killer police and has no kind according to their persuasions? word for the deceased. Does not that appear strange to Those committing heinous crimes in the name of you? What moral consideration confers this right on curbing terrorism must know that, the only way to you? Sending of the bullet recovered from the body of curb terrorism is to abandon state terrorism for ever the deceased Jaspal Singh or that of the injured Ranjit and not merely as an expedient measure but as a Singh is the normal procedure and hardly needs matter of conviction. “Nothing rankles more in human mention. So also is the gathering of other evidence. heart than a brooding sense of injustice” said Justice There is also nothing abnormal or confusing about Barannan of the US Supreme Court. He is supported some key witnesses who are still to record their by Frantz Fannon at the other end “-- injustice makes statements. you want to pull things down.” Adding a spiritual Your suggestion that “local residents” (should we read content, a poet chimes in with: Mayoosion ne aur bhi local Hindus accused of violence) do not consider sarkash bana dia; itne hue zalil ke khuddar ban gai. either of the two inquiries ordered by the government Frustrations made them even more defiant. The to be valid. It is a strange suggestion. Enquiry into the humiliation was so complete that they became self- death of a citizen in police firing is mandatory by law respecting. and government is bound to order it. Why should the ***** anonymous “local residents” consider it invalid and on Gurtej Singh’s Letter to the Editor for publication what grounds are they confused about the mandatory The Editor, The Tribune, procedure? Why is their moronic confusion a public [email protected] concern? Particularly, when the enquiring DIG Ram May 5, 2012 Singh is quoted as saying that he is merely trying to Dear sir, establish “the sequence of events.” My last letter (April 3, 2012) about your negative Your suggestion that the enquiry is ordered “under reporting regarding the Sikhs which have reached pressure from the Sikh clergy” is sinister and seeks to alarming proportions, over the years was not published give a communal tinge to the matter just because an by you. innocent Sikh boy (18) was the targeted by the police. Today I bring to your notice another piece of news in Police firing is done on the orders of a magistrate. The which your paper of May 3, 2012, has tried to provide government has rightly ordered an enquiry by a senior a shield to the policemen who killed Jaspal Singh on magistrate and a senior policeman to bring out the March 29, 2012. Reference is to “One death two truth. probes and a lot of confusion” by Ravi Dhaliwal. Please realize that your tirade betrays a prejudiced Though it is datelined Gurdaspur, it is a “table news” mind and is calculated to obfuscate the inquiry just because you are overflowing with hatred of the Sikhs and want to encourage those who kill them. How human is that?
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The Media has done it once in 1984. Will your paper chosen for the honour by Parkash Singh Badal. It has please consider not being a part of the fresh campaign gone without notice that all those chosen for this and of hatred launched by it ostensibly to teach another similar honour after 1984 are those who have lesson to the Sikhs? Will your paper also consider supported deviation from the Khalsa rahit by word or recalling the fate of Prithvi Raj Chauhan and see a deed. Our political leadership, controlled by the BJP lesson for India’s permanent cultural majority in the appears to be determinedly pushing through an agenda face of the current Chinese onslaught, or have you of reform in the Sikh religion revolving around become so fond of slavery that mere sixty years of revising the Khalsa thesis inclusive of the rahit of decolonisation distresses you? amrit prescribed by the 10th King. This could not have Yours faithfully, happened overnight. II Santa Singh and all other of his ilk could not have Another relevant matter may also be taken up for become favourites without there being a background consideration along with the above. to these happenings. The all powerful (under Badals of course) Executive The background takes us back to 1982-83.This is the Committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak period when the Akali leadership was finding it Committee met at Anandpur Sahib on May 03, 2012 difficult to exist in the face of erosion in its ranks by and resolved to place the portrait of Santa Singh the popularity of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale. Nihang in the Sikh Central Museum. Santa Singh was The Sant was also a thorn in the side of the Congress head of the Buddha Dal of Nihangs. It was suspected (I) ruling at the centre. He, following in the footsteps by many that he had succeeded to headship after the of his predecessor had successfully stemmed the tide murder of his predecessor Baba Chet Singh. Nihang of the Sikhs floating towards the Nirankari and other rituals are calculated to take this Sikh institution heretical sects. A joint strategy appears to have been progressively farther away from the Sikh fold. The chalked out to eliminate the serious threat. Under this sect is therefore clandestinely patronised by the strategy Santa Singh was at one time excommunicated Congress political party. and is now being rehabilitated in the Sikh mind. After the destruction of the Akal Takhat by the Indian The unique honour to Hans Raj Hans, the new Vice army in June 1984, no Sikh was willing to undertake President of the Shiromani Akali Dal has to be its reconstruction on the dictates of Indira Gandhi, understood in the above context. Sant Baba Santa Singh was persuaded to do the job. In the Bhinderanwale’s main contribution was that he was face of opposition from the entire Sikh people, he encouraging people to enrich the moral, ethical and came to Amritsar and started the ‘karseva’ of the religious content of their lives. The inevitable effect of Takhat building. It was rumoured that the central such preaching has always been in transform brutes minister Buta Singh had persuaded him to do so. In and even ghosts into gods, says the Guru: pasu prethu actuality, he did precious little; all the work of dev kare poore satgur ki wadhiaee. Such men and reconstruction and repair was done by the employees women of rectitude, courage and moral standing have of the National Building Corporation. Santa Singh been found to be difficult to govern. The folk singers earned the ire of the entire Sikh people throughout the have always been the main source of entertainment for world and in response to the sentiment was our rural society – a rare luxury that they could afford. excommunicated by the then Akal Takhat Jathedar So at some stage after 1984, great emphasis was laid Kirpal Singh on July 22, 2012. His patron Buta Singh on promoting nudity, immorality, mock chivalry and too was excommunicated from the Sikh panth, downright crassness through them to lead the society primarily for the same reason. Later on he apologised to the path of moral degradation and irreligiousness. and was forgiven on May 08, 2008 by Joginder Singh Agents for dehumanizing and de-spiritualizing the Vedanti, who had been appointed to head the Akal society, who could popularize the antithesis of moral Takhat by Parkash Singh Badal. and ethical behaviour, were suddenly in great demand. Despite that he remained one of the most disliked New singers were trained to make an impact. The figures among the Sikhs for having betrayed them at a songs that became popular in that period have double very critical time in their history. Thereafter, he did meaning words and are replete with concepts nothing to endear him to the people. His elevation to a bordering on the lecherous. You hear of ‘tootak tootak status of the benefactor of the Sikh people has come as tootiaan, he Jamalo’ and ‘toon nee boldee nee tere a surprise to one and all. Several Sikh organisations vich tera yaar bolda’. Older ones lead the way with protested against honouring him posthumously by songs like ‘ishke di hoee barsaat saaree raat bhijde adding his portrait to the Sikh Museum. In deference rahe,’ and ‘teri bhij gai kurti laal kure,’ to cite some to strong reservations, the portrait placing ceremony mentionable examples. Our sensitivities were so held on May 09, 2012, ended without his portrait dulled by the ample flood of human blood all around being placed there. us that the younger generation took to obscenity and This episode raises a host of questions. First and lewdness to escape the gruesome reality. It is only foremost, why was he chosen for the honour despite recently that our womenfolk, the main losers in the his sordid record? We of course know that he was game, have started taking the vendors of immorality to task. One typical example of this breed is Daler Mehndi, the son of a gurbani singer dropping the
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Singh name and working on themes like, ‘meri dig military forces did in eliminating the real social payee chreeh de vich ganee, ve chack liaa toon mor heroes. Now the time has come to reward them for the banke.’ Such singers in their heyday did as efficient a services they rendered at the critical time. Monetary job of destroying the society as the police and para- rewards they have already reaped. Hans Raj Hans is just one who is to be honoured; in the near future we
HANERA SINH BADAL & THE AKALI DAL-BADAL PRIVATE LIMITED, INC: Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon Questions
What did you give to the Guru Khalsa Panth, 13. You deliberately made the Sikhs and their Hanera Sinh Badal? Sikh Nation, PUNJAB of 15th August, 1947, a 1. Became an agent of the RAW (Research and "CONCENTRATION CAMP" in the days of Analysis Wing), "Operation Bluestar" of June, 1984; 2. An 'Undeclared' war on the Sikh Nation, 14. Using the public’s funds or Tax payers' PUNJAB of August 15th, 1984 in the form of a money from the State's coffer, you provide brutal military "Operation Bluestar of 1984; cancer treatment to your wife (demised) out of 3. Desecration of the Darbar Sahib Complex on PUNJAB, i. e., in the United States; February 7th, 1998; 15. You are the killer of the Sikh youth in the 4. Became a founding member of the Rashtriya Sikhs' Holy and Historic Homeland; Sikh Sangat (RSS), a branch of the Brahmins- 16. You decorated the Butcher Police officers Hindus' RSS, BJP, Bajrang Dal. and their sister (KP Gill, Sumedh Saini, SS Virk, Izhar Alam, and Hindus' parties; likes), gave them promotions, medals, provided 5. Swallowed more than Rupees 400-cror given state's assistance and additional security for by a criminal BJP Prime Minister AB Vajpayee for killing the Sikh youth in fake-police encounters. Anandpur Sahib in 1999; 17.You became a turbaned Brahmin to lick the 6. Refused the former Head of Apple Computer boots/Chaplian of a criminal AB Vajpayee, LK Co. to install a factory in PUNJAB; Advani and the BJP'S anti-Sikh fellows, to hang 7. Making Governmental appointments, you on to your chair. appointed 'Scoundrels' (Chief) to the Supreme 18. According to a criminal AB Vajpayee, you Seat of Sikh Polity, The Akal Takht Sahib, to used to phone him (while hospitalized in the US concentrate your corrupt power base of the Chief for your knee ailment) "Vajpayee ji make my son of the Akali Dal-Private Limited Incorporation, i. the Chief Minister of Punjab." AB Vajpayee used e., Chief, Akal Dal-Badal Inc., to say that "it seems father and son like each As PUNJAB'S spineless Chief Minister, you other so much that entire time the father (Badal) destroyed the Sikhs' apex institutions talks about nothing but Sukhbir's political career." 8. Letting the Saffaronized anti-Sikh parties 19. You gave away Rupees 8,700-cror tab of the distribute more than 400,000 Trishul or Tridents, New Delhi Administration to bring peace in the lethal weapons; PUNJAB, after making the Sikh Nation a 9. Opened schools in villages , but without "CONCENTRATION CAMP', to say the least. teachers, so that the Sikh children will remain 20. You are well known to worship the Sauda uneducated, like you (do not call yourself an Sadh, other sadhs, and anti-Sikh elements in educated one) PUNJAB. How can you be called a Sikh of the 10. Prepare more and more 'House of Guru Nanak Sahib? bootlickers/chaplianchutts, sycophants of Badal 21. Your family has been seen worshiping the and his corrupt machinery of 'joe boys and joe Shiv Ling, and other idols: all anti-Sikh activities, girls', etc. anti-Sikh Code of Conduct, etc. 11. You deliberately destroyed a state of the art The above are a few of your accomplishments, International Airport of the Sikh Nation (not even for which you and your Akali Dal-Badal will have tried to construct), PUNJAB, the Sikhs’ Holy and to be answerable for the anti-Sikh deeds to the Historic Homeland PUNJAB of August 15th, Guru Khalsa Panth, and not to the scoundrels 1947; appointed by yourself, using the state powers. 12. You deliberately destroyed a business, You may call it a victory by winning the elections educational, healthcare, agricultural bases, etc., 2012, using state machinery; as far as the Guru in the Sikhs Holy and Historic Homeland, Khalsa Panth is concerned, it was your defeat. PUNJAB of August 15th, 1947; *****
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BHAI RAJOANA TE PROF BHULLAR NU FANSI DENN DA BHAV HOVEGA ES DESH VICH SACH NU FANSI DENA* *Below presented is the English translation of the author’s article in the Punjabi language.
(THE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT TO BHAI RAJOANA AND PROF BHULLAR WILL BE UNDERSTOOD TO SEND THE TRUTH TO GALLOWS) Kirpal Singh Bathinda, Journalist
If Bhai Rajoana and Prof Bhullar are sent to the Sikh youth killed were killed by the Punjab police or gallows, then the federal administration of India and law-enforcing agencies in three sub-divisions (Tehsils) the Indian judicial system will be responsible and only. Taking notice of this compilation of the along with it, Prakash Singh Badal will also be disappearances of the Sikh youth, one higher court responsible for abdicating his responsibilities, because began an enquiry of the disappearances. However, he failed to pass a resolution in the legislative nothing has been done to date to the law-enforcing assembly of Punjab as compared with the state employees who killed Sikh youth (25,000) stated in assemblies of Jammu and Kashmir and Tamilnadu. the compilation of Advocate Jaswant Singh Khalra. Not only that this Prakash Singh Badal has been Under the prevailing circumstances, to save his life taking the credit to take the stay order of the Shromani Professor Bhullar went to Germany on a fake passport. Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Committee (Delhi He started working a job to make his living. Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee). Badal’s activity Unfortunately, the Government of Germany issued a is no less than to betray the Sikhs as far as the cases of deportation order to him in 1995, rather than giving Bhai Rajoana and Prof Bhullar are concerned). him political asylum. He was sent to India on a Luft It said that the truth always wins, but if we examine Hansa flight 760, landed at the Indira Gandhi the cases of late Beant Singh and Maninderjit Singh International Airport and charged under article 419, Bitta and if the court sends Prof Bhullar to gallows, 420, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code, in which then it would mean that the justice system of India he had been implicated in Maninder Bitta’s case of sends a truth speaking person to the gallows. September 11th , 1993. He had been handed over to an Prof Bhullar’s family while narrating Bhullar’s story, Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP), where he had one feels pain in the heart. Prof Bhullar is the loveable been implicated in some case. On August 25th, 2001, and successful son of his parents, Upkar Kaur and Delhi High Court passed the Capital punishment under Sardar Balwant Singh, as he obtained a degree of TADA (a draconian law). The Supreme Court of India Engineering from Guru Nanak Engineering College passing a judgment (2:1) of not ‘guilty’ on March Ludhiana and he rose to the rank of a professor in the 22nd , 2002. On December 19th, 2002, an appeal to the same college. His father, Sardar Balwant Singh, had President of India was entered, on behalf of Prof been a civil employee of high ranking of the Punjab Bhullar, to commute his Capital punishment as a free state. His mother was a government employee. His man; but after a period of eight and a half years, the parents had their property of agricultural land and Indian president, Pratibha Patil, rejected his plea. residential property in the village Dialpur Bhaika in In Professor Bhullar’s case, all laws of the Indian Bhatinda district. He has been married in 1991 to Bibi judicial system were set aside as there had been 133 Navneet Kaur. Three month post their marriage, witnesses and none had given evidence against Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sumedh Saini’s Professor Bhullar. Neither was it said that anyone of car was hit, but he (Saini) survived. From this them (133/133) had been present to witness it. The happening of Saini’s car, Prof Bhullar’s bad days of order of Capital punishment to Prof Bhullar had been life began. His residence was hit by the police in the based on a testimony/statement or ‘Affidavit’ of suspicion of a conspiracy in which the police could confession given before a Police Commissioner. not capture Prof Bhullar, but his father Sardar Balwant Let us examine his testimony or a testimony of Singh, uncle Manjit Singh Sohi and one friend named confession or ‘Affidavit’. First, any ‘statement’ given Multani were arrested, terrorized, tortured, killed in to the police, under the IPS, is not acceptable to the police custody and their bodies were not given to their court, under the draconian law of TADA, Article next of kin. Thereafter, the police persecuted Prof 15(3)(B), if any suspected or considered criminal Bhullar’s other family members, including ladies and gives his statement before an S P (Superintendent of relatives. Police), then the statement given to a higher police This has been the trend in those days (1990s) that officer of the rank of S P can be admitted in the court anyone could become the victim of police torture, for the criminal and his associate, provided the fake-encounters or killings, and their dead bodies were statement has been notarized before presenting it to burnt without their last religious rites. A Human the court. In Bhullar’s case, the police failed to give Rights activist, Jaswant Singh Khalra, adovate in any such ‘affidavit’ to the court. Second, the Bhullar’s Batala, Taran Taran, Majitha, prepared a list of 25,000 ‘affidavit’ was not taken or presented to the court.
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Bhullar’s affidavit had been typed and printed but not intentions to kill them. Therefore, the punishment for saved. It could not be reproduced as required by the unintentional cases cannot be the Capital TADA Article 15. The ‘Affidavit’ had not been saved punishment. Life imprisonment may, however, be in the computer’s hard disc; neither had a copy been given. saved on a floppy disc. So, the ‘Affidavit’ could not be Despite being so many unexpected discrepancies, retyped and reproduced. Moreover, Bhullar’s what has been the justification for a Capital ‘affidavit’ had been taken by a lower rank of police punishment to Professor Bhullar? officer (Deputy S P); as such, according to the judges It appears from the judgments of the two junior of the court bench, this ‘affidavit’ had no meaning for justices that both these judges had been suffering from the court of law or it was unacceptable. some kind of psychological problems and their actions In Professor Bhullar’s case, Justice B M Shah pointed reflect that they had no respect for a human life while out that it is noteworthy that “a person who traveled opting for capital punishment for Bhullar. Neither had on January 19th, 1995, to Germany on a ‘fake they been seeing the persecution of the minority passport’ and arrested, why would the criminal tell community. Why not the majority community (Hindus that he himself ‘admitted’ the cases of murders on 7.5% and Brahmins 2.5%, according to Sir VT January 19th. Rajshekar, Dalit Voice 2011), which persecutes the Another important point is that Professor Bhullar non-Brahmins-Hindus minorities, awards the title of wanted to record his statement on January 22nd , 1995, traders of persecutors to themselves. Has the judicial it was recorded a day later on January 23rd and Bhullar system of India of the ‘Brahmins-Hindus’ awarded was presented to the TADA court on January 24th, but any capital punishment to anyone who participated in his ‘statement or his affidavit’ was not presented the genocides of the Sikhs in 1984 and the Muslims of before a magistrate. According to the Magistrate, it Gujarat in 2002? was the violation of the TADA Article 15(5); as such, The Indian judicial system is adopting a double Bhullar’s ‘affidavit should have been presented to the standard, especially in the cases of Bhai Dilavar area magistrate, and then the affidavit should have Singh, who had been implicated in the murder of been presented to the Magistrate of the TADA Special Chief Minister Beant Singh on August 31st, 1995 and Court. On the contrary, Bhullar’s affidavit had been his associate Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana. Both these sent directly to the TADA special Court. gentlemen have been exposing the double standards of Bhullar had never signed on any affidavit. On the the Indian judiciary. other hand, he was made to sign on a blank paper, Bhai Rajoana (Balwant Singh) has kept on telling the which had been used as his ‘affidavit’. truth ever since he was arrested and saying that “he First of all, the capital punishment is awarded in a had no choice but to kill Beant Singh since the Indian case, which could have been “Rarest of Rare” case. judicial system of the Brahmins-Hindus has failed to But his case was of the simple nature. Justice B M do any justice with the sufferers of the Genocide of Shah delivered his judgment of ‘not guilty’ and Sikhs of 1984. He has no regrets whatever he has done released with respect; but other judges of the bench, B in view of suffering his community, in the time span N Aggarwal and Arijit Pasait found him ‘guilty’ and of 17 years, from 1995 to 2012. He is committed like a sustained the capital punishment. When all justices of rock not to hire any attorney to plead his case, that the bench are not in agreement, how could Bhullar’s anyone should enter any mercy plea on his behalf and case be termed as complicated? Same allegations had he has been refusing for any mercy plea from the been applied to a terrorist Daya Singh Lahoria, who bottom of his heart. He has given the same message of had been extradited from the United States of entering any mercy plea to his relatives and the Sikhs America, and the TADA court found him ‘not guilty’ at large. Bhai Rajoana has been persistently of the and freed. If a person implicated with similar view that a justice system which has failed badly to do allegations had been set free and found ‘not guilty’, any justice with the Sikhs and non-Brahmins-Hindus then how could Bhullar’s case be complicated and in minorities and refuses to enter the plea of any kind. what respect? According to IPC 120-A and 120B Bhai Rajoana maintains that he is ‘not guilty’ in Beant definition, it is essential that under these articles, Singh’s case; as such, he will not beg for mercy, crimes committed should have by two or more especially for a crime he has not committed. However, persons. It is a big question, how IPC Article 120-B in Professor Bhullar’s case considers himself ‘not has been applied to implicate Bhullar and did his guilty’, too. That’s why his family entered a mercy crime become complicated? plea to the President of India only when all avenues, I Further, Bhullar has been implicated to murder e., appealing to the apex court of India had been Maninderjit Bitta, but the latter survived. Therefore, repeatedly unsuccessful. Professor Bhullar’s mercy Bhullar should have been charged under IPC 307 and appeal to the President of India has been delayed for not under IPC 302. Bhullar, therefore, should not have 9-years without any adequate reason. It is imperative been given the Capital punishment. Other persons died that Professor Bhullar has deliberately been punished. during Bhullar’s murder case, which he had no After serving 14-years, a subject of life imprisonment is set free. Here, Professor Bhullar has completed 17- years of imprisonment and he has to go to the ‘gallows’. It must not be forgotten that the Indian
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judicial system cannot punish a ‘subject or crime” propaganda. (One must not forget the money provided twice. to fake-holy man, Sadh, to open a free community Professor Bhullar’s wife, a resident of Canada, Mrs. kitchen, the langar, during last Tsunami. The Sikh Navneet Kaur says that Professor Bhullar’s mother, world knows it how the SGPC is being operated and Upkar Kaur, who had lost her husband and sister’s for who?). husband because of tortures by the law-enforcing In September 2011, to get the Sikh votes, Punjab agencies of Punjab, she cannot see her son dying at Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal told at a Press every moment, and she herself is suffering worse than Conference that the Akali Dal-Badal Sect will a prisoner in jail. Bhullar’s wife had spent only three introduce a resolution in the Pubjab Legislature, pass months with her husband after their marriage. it and send to the federal/Central government to grant Presently, she has been spending her life like a widow a ‘mercy’ in Bullar’s case. Similarly, the former Chief on foreign soil. She is neither a married lady nor a Minister Amarinder Singh of the Congress Party widow. She works at two to three jobs to earn a living expressed in a public meeting that he would write to and spends most of her earned money on travels to the President of India to grant a ‘mercy plea’ to Prof fight her husband’s case. She approached the Sikhs’ Bhullar, on the basis that he has already completed the central body, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak life imprisonment. Similarly, Captain Amarinder Committee (SGPC), Amritsar, Punjab. She SGPC has Singh and the late Beant Singh’s family’s statements not given any financial aid/help, with the exception of have been seen in the case of Bhai Balwant Singh giving a ‘robe of honour or Siropao’ to her mother in Rajoana. Both Amarinder Singh and Beant Singh’s law. So much so, the SGPC does not give a damn to family have said, “if Chief Minister Prakash Singh assist her for a return train ticket whenever she goes to Badal tables a resolution in the Punjab legislature then the Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, in relation to her they (Congress of Amarinder Singh and Beant Singh’s husband’s case. Her family has spent all the money family) will support the ruling party’s (Akali Dal- when her husband’s case was being heard at the Badal sect) resolution. Despite this Prakash Singh Session Court. The Delhi Gurdwara Prabhandhak Badal failed to table such a resolution in the fear that Committee (DGPC) had been kind enough to look his Akali Dal-Badal will loose BJP (anti-Sikh and after the fees of the lawyers when her husband’s case militant Hindu-Brahmins party). However, it is amply had been heard by the High and Supreme Courts, clear that Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal would although her husband did not want to enter any pleas not like to miss a single chance to take credit for every to any courts. It was none else but I who made him damn thing in the State of Punjab. agree for the appeals from my mother in law’s old age. It should be mentioned here that in the Rajiv Gandhi’s It has been Sumedh Saini, recently appointed Director murder case, the capital punishment had been given General of Police of Punjab by Punjab’s Chief based on the presence of witnesses. The Government Minister, Prakash S Badal and his administration, who of Tamilnadu, caring and respecting the sentiments of murdered my father in law. It was Sumedh Saini’s the people of the state, Chief Minister Jailalita herself involvement that her husband had been forced to leave tabled a resolution to pass in the Legislature, that the India for Germany, as he had not been safe from his President of India pardon the person(s) granted the life’s point of view. capital punishment. Similarly, the Legislature of Professor Bhullar’s wife, Navneet Kaur, regrets that Jammu and Kashmir sent a resolution to the President with the exception of the DGPC, neither the SGPC nor of India that Afzal Guru be granted a pardon. On the any other organization came to assist us financially. contrary, there had been no witness and no proof On the other hand, it is being propagated and against Professor Bhullar, with the exception of his propaganda is made that the ‘SGPC’ has spent signature on a Blank Sheet, which later presented as millions or cror (1 cror is equal to10-million rupees), Bhullar’s ‘Affidavit’, for which injustice has been which is nothing but lies. This propaganda of the committed against him. For this injustice, the SGPC, as it is under the control of the Akali Dal- entire Sikhs of the Sikh Nation have been behind Badal sect, has affected the husband’s relations with Pro-Bhullar movement. Those Sikhs who consider my brother, Sirdar Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was Prakash Singh Badal their leader, they are asked and to go to gallows on March 31st, 2012. Regarding this requested politely to ask Badal to bring a resolution in propaganda of the SGPC, she has written to the SGPC the legislature to pass and send it to the President of president, Avtar Singh Makkar. Mrs Navneet Kaur India, like what had already been done by the Bhullar has appealed to the SGPC president Avtar Tamilnadu and Jammu and Kashmir legislatures, to Singh Makkar that he should come out with a financial grant pardon to Prof Bhullar. statement that the SGPC has spent this particular sum, Like during the hearing of the case of Professor if any, on my husband’s court expenditures. The Bhullar’s petition of March 29th, the Supreme Court SGPC is obligated to inform the Sikhs and the Guru justice, went of his jurisdiction and remarked that in Khalsa Panth that ‘it has spent this much sum (?) on Chandigarh the lower court has already delivered its Bhullar’s court cases. By doing so, the Guru Khalsa judgment in Beant Singh murder case and gave capital Panth could come to know the truth of the SGPC’s punishment to Balwant Singh Rajoana, and what had happened in Punjab are nothing but unfortunate/regrettable. The Bench justice said that in the Chief Minister’s case the criminal has been getting
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sympathies now of the political parties. It is Undoubtedly, the experts of law and Professor Bhullar noteworthy how the court could release the criminals? momentarily are right in deciding Bhullar’s murder In view of the comments of the bench judge how case, then why did the court and experts of law set free could we (the Sikhs) say they are the Bhai Dia Singh Lahoria and Harnek Singh Bhapp? ‘Honorable/respectful Courts’? Take note of poetry of The only argument to release them had been that there Sir (Dr) Mohammad Iqbal who said: “Mudaten did not exist any ‘affidavit’ in their case, and the court Gujri Hain Itni Ranjo Gam Sahte Hue, Sharam Si had no option but to set them free. Aatti Hai Ab Watan Ko Watan Kahate Hue.” To send Professor Bhullar to the gallows is nothing The same court or Indian justice system had no but a big challenge to the Sikhs living in India. It must objection on the ‘genocides of Sikhs in Delhi, be understood that the Sikhs cannot live in India based Muslims of Gujarat and Christians of Orissa and on the principles and teaching of their Guru Sahibaan, Karnataka. By and large, all political parties went to as inscribed in Guru Granth Sahib. Should Bhullar and the court/Darbar of the Chief of Dera Gurmit Ram Bhai Sahib Rajoana be sent to the gallows, the central, Rahim, who had cases of rapes, registered against him. state administration of Prakash Singh Badal and the The court did not object to their presence to have an Indian judiciary system will be responsible in the same audience with Gurmit Ram Rahim. Only those who way as did Mahatama Mohandas Karmchand Gandhi lived in Punjab and the Sikhs asking for justices and in the late Bhagat Singh’s murder case during the human rights are branded as ‘terrorists’. It leaves no British India Empire. The fact of the matter is that doubt that Professor Bhullar and Bhai Sahib Sirdar Punjab’s Chief Minister belonging to Akali Dal-Badal Balwant Singh Rajoana could be hanged until their has been taking the credit of stay order on the stay death at any time. Should this happen to Both order applications entered by the DGPC and the Professor Bhullar and Rajoana, this would amount that SGPC. Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has done in the Indian democracy the ‘truth’ has no value. nothing and he is making fools of the Sikhs, as he has Since Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana has been telling failed to bring any resolution from the Punjab nothing but the truth in the late Beant Singh murder legislature, as did the legislatures of the Jammu and for the last 17 years. It is further meant that Bhai Kashmir and Tamilnadu (see above). Jagtar Singh Hawara has not been telling the truth and Kirpal Singh Bathinda his capital punishment has been changed to life Contact No. +91-98554 80797 imprisonment. To send Professor Bhullar, it is based only on the Blank paper he signed and it was used as his supposedly false ‘Affidavit’ that has never been signed by him (Bhullar) in the Maninderjit Bitta case of supposedly mediated murder case. *****
Rebuttal to Martin Regg Cohn’s article in the Toronto Star April 27, 2010 K Peterson
Martin Regg Cohn, I had never read your article till government’s’ official lists. So, why did the Indian May 14, 2012. A little late but never late to correct government kill over a quarter of million Sikhs in cold some very patently loaded statements made without blood? Mr.Cohn, if you think 250,000 is an any substantive proof. Before any statement is made exaggeration I would beseech you to write to the about terrorists in general it would behoove you to Indian Embassy in Ottawa and ask them to give you clearly define it. A rabidly vicious government can and the Toronto Star, written permission with malign and vilify any ethnic or religious faith group complete freedom in sending a fact finding and portray ‘them’ as terrorists across the globe with investigative mission to Panjab. It would take a year or relevant ease. Tiny minorities standing up vocally for more to check all 12,000 plus villages and do a head liberty and justice can and are being terrorized for count of all the dead and disappeared. Also please do thumbing their noses at big governments. The count the number of Hindus (killed), too, to get a fair founding fathers of US were also called terrorists in appraisal of the facts at a minimum. If India has their time, yet today they are the epitome of liberty nothing to hide from the world and if you think they and justice. Simply because men of a faith group are are so nice, why then have ‘they’ kicked out, even willing to stand up for their human rights and take a Amnesty International? No legitimate international stand even if that means death, does not make them Human Rights organization has been allowed into into terrorists provided they have not harmed any Panjab since 1984. S. Jaswant Singh Khalra a family innocents. Was it not Lincoln who said, “death or man, a very concerned humane Sikh did investigate on liberty”? his own and found over 25,000 unaccounted cremations of Sikhs done only and around the City of At no given time ever from 1984 to 1998 were there Amritsar, within two districts of Punjab. He brought it ever more than 300 armed militants on the Indian to the attention of the world; further spoke in Toronto
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and shortly after landing back in Panjab was abducted, bigwigs in the federal government. When the media is tortured and murdered by the Director General of in your pocket, human rights activists are killed and Police, KPS Gill, a so-called Sikh. According to your threatened, anyone who speaks up is made to definition of ‘terrorists’, all Europeans including disappear permanently and/or raped, and by the way possibly your own ancestors who landed and took over this happened and continued for over 15 years (1984- North America were all terrorists, since they did 1998) while the world stood mute. I have personally terrorize the natives into submission and took over witnessed Sikh children 10-12 years of age being their land. It is very easy to malign a minuscule taken away from their homes in 1992-93. Their only minority of being terrorists who have no say in the crime was – they were Sikhs! Just for the record there governance and to strategize their own destiny. It were over 41,000 cash bounties paid by the Panjab takes a wise government to understand and treat their government (read Indian) for bringing in Sikhs – dead minorities with respect. To brutally cow down fair or alive. Yet your number read -17,000! No wonder dissension in the name of putting down terrorism is Panjab is so peaceful today because no one dares to the height of hypocrisy and base stratagem. speak in case their loved ones will be made to disappear deliberately. If you think this is incorrect I Sekhon of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs challenge you to go, speak to the common Sikh in the and an expert on Sikh History, particularly the period villages, not the politicians who have been co-opted of Khalsa Raj by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, has rightly and are lining their pockets with the blood money of said that the British ‘annexed’ the Sovereign Sikh their faith brothers. If asking for freedom is a crime, if kingdom to the rest of the amalgamation of over 550 asking to for an independent country peacefully is a kingdoms and countries tied together under the crime, then all Jews should be labeled ‘terrorists’ as (British) East India Company, who coined the name they did take over Palestine forcefully and did kill lots ‘India’. Today the world thinks there was a country of people. Again according to your definition all called India for many millennia, when it is completely French Canadians Separatists asking to separate from false. The canny British simply tied over 550 countries Canada should be termed ‘terrorists’ too. They did not together over a period of 250 years and then split it on give up their dream and have tried more than once to religious lines in 1947, while the Brahmin-Hindu be independent. leadership kept (and keep) claiming that India was broken up. I guess if you keep repeating a lie long Manmohan Singh the PM of India has never been enough eventually it becomes the truth. I would like elected, therefore, does not officially have the people’s to see how you have come up with statistics of the mandate. He was nominated by an uneducated 1,000 dead in the Darbar Sahib Complex or foreigner of dubious background, fortunately married Harmandar Sahib Gurdwara (wrongly called the to the most infamous family to rule India with all their Golden Temple Complex) and also the 17,000 you ill-gotten wealth to back her up. Hitler had Jews in his claim died elsewhere in Panjab. At any given time, the army who did kill other Jews and were known later as Darbar Sahib complex can accommodate over 25,000 the Judas Rats. Similarly all the men you met on your devotees, especially on such an important day as trip to Panjab, namely Manjit Singh Calcutta, Joginder remembrance of the martyrdom of the Guru Arjan Singh Vadanti, etc, are all political stooges of the Sahib, the fifth Sikh Guru. The complex was sealed status quo, and Sikh Rats. Please refrain from using off and everyone was butchered mercilessly as there the term ‘priests’ as the Sikh Faith does not have any were a few survivors. Sanitation workers, whom the clergy. The Akal Takht is a political institution and bigot Brahmins-Hindus or high castes, were given correct term is “Jathedar/Granthi” and not “priest”. alcohol by the gallon so that they would load trucks Just because there is a Sikh – JJ Singh, who happened with dead bodies to be carted far away from the city to to be at the head of the Indian army does not mean be burned to cinder with no further proof. Why were much. In case you are not aware the position of a 40, now same the figure stand at 125 according to the Chief of Staff in the Indian Army is not based Indian mission in Canada, other gurdwaras attacked exclusively on merit and age. This is a political simultaneously on the same day? Further Panjab was appointment and the most malleable man is put in that sealed off from the rest of India and the world during sensitive position, just like the spineless Manmohan Operation Blue Star of June, 1984. Was the Indian Singh who locked away his conscience and threw might attacking a foreign country or a few dozen away the key many years ago. So, a few plumb Sikhs in a place of worship, who were protecting it positions should satisfy the Sikhs, while the rest are from wanton destruction? Don’t you think it was a brow beaten into submission. Wow! That’s some little bit of an overkill to say the least to attack with logic! armoured tanks and gunships to flush out a few dozen armed men? Did it ever occur to you that over 700,000 Your statement, “so how can Canada be incubating armed personnel were sent to Panjab at the height of this virulent strain of Sikh separatism, while in India the Sikh Genocide. There is not a single major Sikh alls quiet?” This requires a very lengthy answer but in controlled newspaper in India, while all are Hindu short, imagine that a peace loving family living in controlled, which further indirectly controlled by the Toronto, where there are couple teenage girls and boys, suddenly get abducted by the local police, then raped, tortured and given electrical shocks, then
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murdered, bodies made to disappear, but they allow write any further or you will be doing a great injustice the father to live and all happen to be of a different to all your readers and yourself. To twist the truth and faith than the police. No justice is forthcoming ever to play to the tune of the Indian media is very easy. for this father for 25 years – now imagine what he The hard part is searching for the truth. So if you are a should or should not do! Racist governments, journalist worth the salt, then please do not be hasty in especially in the Middle East, South Asian India and judging one of the greatest Faith communities in the Africa do not give clear-cut common sense or logical world whose Faith is more in line with humanism and reasons why they do terrible things to their minority goes beyond the constitutions of both the US and citizens. Just because Canada has a booming bilateral Canada in reference to freedom, dignity and liberty. It trade relationship with India, it does not mean all is is really a sad and repugnant statement on your part, well! The infamous MK Gandhi is being propped up that in forgetting all the injustices meted out by a as the apostle of peace while India is armed to the racist government (India), by silencing one’s teeth with nuclear weapons, all the while terrorizing conscience, is being part of the mainstream Canada, various minorities from the Christian Nagas of then there is something really wrong with society as Nagaland, to Kashimiri Muslims of Kashmir described by you. In that case all Canadian Jews, (Internationally Disputed Areas of Jammu and American Jews and all other Jews who wholeheartedly Kashmir), to the Dalits all over India, to the Sikhs of backed the formation of Israel in 1948 should have Panjab and the list is endless. Why? Because all these been labeled as terrorists; instead Canada and America groups want freedom and sovereignty from the were the ones backing them to the hilt because ‘they’ tyrannical Indian regime which abhors any minority were a ‘persecuted’ Faith group. So what’s different which dares to raise its head in protest – albeit even in about the Sikhs now? Is it their religion or their skin peaceful protest in name of liberty. Do not forget the color or their turbans? Maybe if all the Sikhs were of controllers of the levers of power are primarily European ancestry you would be singing a different Brahmins who constitute a bare 2.5% of an over one tune! billion Hindus, so to speak. During the time of the British rule, Brahmins held government jobs in Suggested Literature proportion to their population ratio but today over 75% of all positions, from the peons to the judiciary to the highest echelons of power, are controlled by 1. STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE by Dr. Brahmins. The Indian Intelligence Bureau is 100% Hindu-Brahmins (read P.K.Dhar’s book Open Ranbir Singh Sandhu Secrets). This is Democracy for you – Indian style. Apartheid was invented and still being practiced by 2. REDUCED TO ASHES by Ram the Brahmins in India, and just like the Anglos of Narayan Kumar, Amrik Singh, et.al. America justified slavery with the Bible, but ended it; but unlike the Anglos of America the Brahmins of 3. POLITICS OF GENOCIDE: Panjab India continue their apartheid except it is more covert and less overt with the official sanction of their 1984-1998 by S. Inderjit Singh Jaijee religion – called, ‘caste’ which I am sure you are very familiar! 4. INDIA KILLS THE SIKHS by Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon $ Mr.Cohn I appeal to your better sense as a human being that before you judge an entire people as some 5. SIKHS IN HISTORY by Dr. Sangat crazy, antiquated, violent, terrorists, etc., do some serious reading, research to get the facts straight. I am Singh sure even Jesus Christ would be labeled a terrorist by 6. THE SIKHS STRUGGLE FOR many during his time, but does that make him one. Simply remembering ones loved ones who did give SOVEREIGNTY by Dr. H.S.Dilgeer their lives for freedom may seem to others as terrorism. Is it a crime to be a bigot in Canada, I think and Dr A S Sekhon do not think so. That’s freedom of speech, the last time I checked and there are lots of them. Should all of 7. THE SIKH REVOLUTION by S. Jagjit the vocal bigots be also termed as ‘terrorists’? Singh Remember only those who are willing to die for freedom and liberty know their true values. The Sikhs 8. CHAKRAVYUH – Web of Indian have given their lives again and again all over the globe to live in dignity, to preserve peace in the Secularism by Gurtej Singh Europe in WW II. All they ask for is the same respect that you expect for yourself. These (see below) are 9. SOFT TARGET by Zuhair Kashmiri & only a few of the books that you must read before you Brian McAndrew 10. TWENTY YEARS OF IMPUNITY by
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Jaskaran Kaur, Esq
11. AUTHENTIC VOICES OF SOUTH
ASIA (ed) Usman Khalid 12. TANDAV OF THE CENTAUR – Sikhs ***** and Indian Secularism by Gurtej Singh
THE ‘BRAHMINS-HINDUS’ DEMONCRACY alias ALLEGED INDIAN DEMOCRACY & THE NON-BRAHMINS-HINDUS MINORITIES* Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon
The ‘Civil war’ has been going in the largest Brahmins‐Hindus. It is a crime in the Brahmins‐ demo(n)cracy of the Brahmins‐Hindus alias India, Hindus democracy to be a Sikh, Muslims or non‐ because of gross human rights violations, Brahmins‐Hindus. The practices of the criminal, persecution, torture, terrorism, fake‐encounter unethical and mentally bankrupt Brahmins‐Hindus’ killings, pogroms, massacres, ‘undeclared’ war on lawmakers have brought the country to the ‘civil the Sikhs of the ‘robbed’ PUNJAB of August 15th, war’. 1947, The Sikh Nation, Khalistan, in a brutal There have been more than 10,000 Sikhs (infants, military “Operation Bluestar” of June, 1984, terror children, male and female folks and of the Saffaronized Hindus‐Brahmins elderly) languishing in the high security and other organizations, i. e., the RSS [Rashtriya Swamsewak jails in Punjab and outside PUNJAB, the Sikh Sangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad or VHP, Shiv Sena, Nation, Khalistan, since the days of the Brahmins‐ Bajrang Dal, Hindu Mahasabha (Mother of all Hindus’ ‘undeclared’ war on the ‘robbed’ PUNJAB evils)], injustices carried out by the highly of Sikhs, the Sikh Nation. We, the Sikhs of PUNJAB politicized Brahmins‐Hindus democracy, rapes, and the Sikh Diaspora should be thankful to a humiliations, dehumanization, and social, 'turbaned Brahmin' Hanera Sinh Badal, his stooges educational and political genocide, etc., of the Sikhs, and the state appointed scoundrels (jathedars) to Muslims in general, Muslims of the IDA:JK the Supreme Seat of Sikh Polity, The Akal Takht (Internationally Disputed Areas of Jammu and Sahib, in the premises of the Darbar Sahib Complex, Kashmi), Christians, Tamils, Assamese and 8‐sister Amritsar, for their anti‐Guru Khalsa Panth of Assam, Manipur, Dalits, aboriginals (native activities. people), etc., since August 15th, 1947. The writer of this brief has been requesting to his Since August 15th, 1947, the Brahmins‐Hindus Sikh brothers, sisters, children and elderly, democracy has killed more than 3.2‐3.4 million Muslims in general and the Muslims of the IDA:JK, Sikhs, over 500,000 Muslims in general, over Christians, Tamils, Assamese, Manipuris and Dalits, 500,000 Muslims of the IDA:JK, over 10,000 Tamils, Buddhists, etc., to ‘wake up’, as the ‘Brahmins‐ over 15,000 Assamese, over 10,000 Manipuris, tens Hindus and their ‘joe boys and girls’ have already of thousand of Bodos, tens of thousands of the waged a ‘Civil War’ against them, since August Dalits and other non‐Brahmins‐Hindus minorities 15th , 1947. The ‘robbed’ PUNJAB of Sikhs and the by the armed forces of the Brahmins‐Hindus citizens of the IDA:JK have been perfect examples democracy, using the special powers to the Armed of the Brahmins‐Hindus’ ‘civil war’, which includes Forces Act and making armed personnel immune terror, persecution, genocide, gross human rights to the draconian laws of land. Human Rights violations, pogroms, massacres, social, educational, Commission of the Brahmins‐Hindus democracy political genocides, etc. have been acting for their Brahmins‐Hindus Wake up, my dear brothers, sisters, youth, children masters. and elderly of the non‐Brahmin‐Hindus minorities. Recently, Kishorilal who massacred the Sikhs has Enough is enough. been released by the Brahmins‐Hindus’ court of ***** law; whereas, Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, P S: NOTE: Players of the 'Civil War' are (alive or Professor Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, Bhai Dilaver deceased): JL Nehru, the Nehru clan, MK Gandhi, Singh Babbar, Parmjit Singh Bheora, and their Sikh MM Malviya, VB Patel, criminal AB Vajpayee and brothers have been given death sentences or life their whole team of BJP, RSS, Shiv Sena, Hindu imprisonment. Three‐fourth of them are on death Mahasabha (mother of all evils), VHP, Indira row to go to the gallows. Similarly, a Muslim Gandhi, LK Advani, Narender Modi (Gujarat brother Afzal Guru has also been on the waiting list Muslims' killer), Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and to go to the gallows. The simple reason for the clan, Manmohan Kohli, Boota Sinh, Sikhs of anti‐ Sikhs and Muslims, as against Kishorilal and Sikh Hindu‐Brahmin parties, Gurcharan Tohra, likewise Hindus‐Brahmins, is that they are ‘not’ Harchand Longowal, Surjit Barnala, Ranjit Dayal,
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Kuldip Brar, JS Bhullar, Tara Sinh Malhotra, Fateh June, 1985, on the western coast of Ireland, along Sinh, Chanan Sinh, Kirpal Sinh, Manjit Sinh, Puran with a non‐materialized explosion of another Air Sinh and other state appointed Chief Scoundrels India craft in Europe in mid 1990s (Kilgour D 1994 like Vedanti Joginder Sinh, Gurbachan Sinh, and all Betrayal The Spy Canada Abandoned ISBN 0‐13‐ the members of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat (a 3256697‐9), Hanera Sinh Badal (an agent of the branch of Hindus’ RSS), the New Delhi RAW of the NDA), his clan and party members, KP administration (NDA), the NDA’S Foreign missions Gill, SS Virk, Sumed Saini, Izhar Alam, Govind of the Brahmins‐Hindus dem[o]ncracy participated Ram, SS Ray, S Dayal, Didar Sinh of California, in the explosion of Air India Flight 182 on 23rd to cite a few. ***** Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon Comments:
“MY INTERVIEW WITH TAHIR GORA ON BILATAKALLUF PROGRAM TORONTO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI93D6EYGyc”
Habib Yousafzai, Spokesperson, Kashmir Diaspora Alliance
ALLIANCELink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI93D6EYGyc
Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI93D6EY to deal with the criminals (the Sikh Nation alias Gyc PUNJAB), because the criminals are taken care Mr. Tahir Gora in his opening remark asked Mr of only by the judicial system. Similarly, the IDA: Yousafzai what is the Kashmir problem? JK’s case was taken to the UN by the Indian Yousafzai replied that the Internationally prime minister to the UN: Security Council Disputed Areas of Jammu and Kashmir (IDA: JK) (UN:SC), as it passed a resolution for the have been waiting for the resolution of the ‘plebiscite’. Under this resolution the people of chronic problem of the South Asian region since the IDA: JK will decide their own future. India October 27th, 1947. Its only solution, as I see it, accepted the UN: SC resolution in 1948 to hold a is the plebiscite agreed upon in the United plebiscite in the IDA: JK occupied area by Indian Nations Organization’s Security Council state. More than six decades have lapsed, more Resolution of 1948. It is like the people of the first debates have taken place in the UN, but the Sovereign and Secular nation of Punjab ruled by issue, on the future of the IDA: JK people, has monarch Ranjit Singh, from 1799 to March 14th, been hanging in the balance but fo how long? 1849, ‘annexed’ but not amalgamated into the Only, the peace-loving people of the world know British Empire vide the Viceroy Dalhousie’s radio it (?). announcement from Rawalpindi, now the twin city of Rawalpindi-Islamabad of the Islamic Republic Historically, I would like to say that the Nawabs or of Pakistan. On August 15th, 1947, shortly rulers of Junagarh and Hyderabad Kingdoms following the political transfer to the National were Muslims and the majority of the population Congress’ Brahmins-Hindus-Baniyas’ unelected of both the states was of the Hindus. India’s leadership; the PUNJAB of Sikhs was ‘robbed’ on Brahmins-Hindu rulers sent their armed August 15th, 1947. Seven weeks later (October personnel to overpower the rulers and forcibly 10th, 1947), the Sikhs of Punjab were termed as brought these states to Indian accession; but the ‘an unlawful community, dangerous to the law- rulers wanted their Kingdoms to be the part of abiding Hindus’ in a state circular signed by a trio their brothers and sisters in Pakistan, not under of Hindus-Brahmin, JL Nehru-CL Trivedi-VB India’s control. On the other hand, the majority of Patel, Prime Minister, Governor of Punjab and population of the IDA: JK was Muslim, wanted to Home Minister of a 7-wk-old state of India, merge with Pakistan because of predominantly respectively. Here, the Sikhs were declared Muslim majority, but the ruler was a Dogra Hindu. ‘criminals’. Before receiving political power, both As such, based on its ruler’s desire, India said JL Nehru and MK Gandhi, had promised the that the IDA: JK belongs to India. Here, according Sikhs of Punjab ‘a state in the North where they to the old saying “what is good for the goose was could feel the glow of freedom’. On August 15th not good for the gander.” Even the Prime and October 10th, 1947, the Brahmins-Hindus Ministers of the IDA: JK had/have not accepted democracy made them ‘criminals’, so that the India’s condition of forcible occupation. Neither politicians of the newly born India would not have
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India has prepared the conditions for the UN personnel have been doing their inhumane job sponsored resolution in over six decades, since under the Special Army Personnel Power Act India created the dispute with its armed forces’ (SAPPA) provided by the Brahmins-Hindus’ occupation. There is no hope that India’s Indian democracy. The SAPPA takes care of the Brahmins-Hindus rulers will ever agree to a UN armed personnel’s heinous activities by providing sponsored plebiscite. That is what the Indian ‘immunity’ from prosecution, under any law. Even administration has been doing since the Sikhs of 80-year females have not been spared from rape their Holy and Historical land, PUNJAB alias the by the ‘hungry wolves or the armed personnel’. A Sikh Raj, were made ‘criminals and dangerous Sikh academic and human rights activist has elements to the Hindus’, by the deceitful given his apologies, to the Kashmiri sufferers of Brahmins-Hindus rulers of I ndia. the IDA: JK and the Muslim brothers and sister of Further, there have been untold realities, which Pakistan, too, for the sinister designs of MK the politicians especially corrupt, crooks, criminal Gandhi, who brought the Sikhs and Muslim head law makers, etc., would not like to let the public on in the pre-August 15th, 1948 period. His know their game or one of the untold facts of the apology was on behalf of the Sikhs of PUNJAB history, known in several areas of the IDA: JK. and the Sikh Diaspora. He is of the view that the That is, to control forcibly, the Indian armed NDA has been using the Sikhs and non-Sikhs forces’ employment. Such had been the outcome deliberately against each other for their ‘ulterior’ of closed door surroundings with Dogra Hari Sinh motives. The purpose he cites is multifold: getting with the then Home Minister and Deputy Prime rid of the Sikhs and non-Sikhs as much as Minister, VB Patel, whom the Indian news media possible, imbalance the populations of the non- made famous as the ‘Iron man’ of India. Brahmins-Hindus to establish their (Brahmins- Supposedly, he held a secret meeting with the Hindus) majority or supremacy, in order to absorb Hindu ruler of the IDA: JK. The meeting the IDA: JK into India, make India a State of the supposedly went without the knowledge of his Brahmins-Hindus or of the Saffaronized Hindus, chief, JL Nehru. The Iron man was out of New etc. Delhi for eight hours, to accomplish his mission. The interviewer, Tahir Gora, did ask questions to In Srinagar, he advised the Dogra ruler to sign a Mr. Yousafzai on Israel, Pakistan and so on. As paper (forcibly or otherwise) “He wants India’s far as Dr Sekhon thinks, Mr. Yousafzai carefully help in his Kingdom, as the Muslims put aside any comments on the question that outnumbered the Hindus in his kingdom. He were out of context, because his subject dealt accepted the Indian Home Minister’s proposal only the ‘Solution of Kashmir (IDA:JK)’. and signed the paper as asked by the Indian Home Minister. This was the hour when Indian Mr. Gora brought the question about the largest armed forces became the protectors of the IDA: democracy of the world, ruled by the 11% Hindus JK, under Indian occupation. Whether JL Nehru, and 4% Brahmins, according to Mr. Yousafzai. It his administration, Dogra Hari Singh’s people and should have been stated that the Brahmins others knew it, it is any body’s guess. It is on the (2.5%) and Hindus (7.5%) have been running the records, however, that VB Patel did not have Indian state, according to Sir VT Rajshekar, much life to live. The deputy prime minister’s Editor in Chief, Dalit Voice (Vol 30, No. 13, pp 11- portfolio was abolished following the death of the 12 & 14, 2011), published from Mangalore, India. Iron man and remained so until JL Nehru’s death. According to the statistics of Sir VT Rajshekar, Indeed, politics is a strange game plan not only in Indian democracy is the autocracy of the India, but worldwide as well. It has to be Brahmins (2.5%) and Hindus (7.5%) of a total mentioned that despite the strength of the so- called Iron man, the State of Faridkot of Punjab, population of over 1.2 billion hungry mouths (according to Dr Sekhon). How could one call State of Bikaner of Rajasthan and the Kingdom of Hyderabad did not sign any ‘Accession that India is a progressing democracy of the world? Dr Sekhon disputes the statements document’ to the Indian union. generated by the western democratic countries and their democratic news media. Since IDA:JK’s occupation, more than 500,000 Kashmiri Muslims have been killed in fake- Solutions of the IDA: JK: In reply Mr. Yousafzai encounters, massacres, pogroms, genocides said that the only answer to this chronic and (cultural, social, educational, political), quickly spreading cancer in South Asia is to hold humiliation, dehumanization of the Kashmiri a plebiscite under the auspices of the United Muslim females, youth freedom fighters, our Nations Organization, in accordance with the daughters, along with the Sikhs, to say the least. The Indian armed personnel consisting the Sikhs, UN:SC Resolution of 1948. There are conditions, however. These are as follows. 1. To hold the Muslims, schedule castes or Dalit, Jats, etc, have carried out all these inhuman activities. Armed plebiscite in the IDA: JK, every armed and civil personnel of India must be out of
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the IDA: JK, including the Governor of the IDA:JK and ask the citizens of IDA: JK and Azad and his personnel of the Indian nationality. Kashmir as to what would be their future course of the Kashmir problem? Whether they (IDA: JK) would like to merge with their brothers in 2. The UN personnel and/or forces should take Pakistan, or would like to have the Azad Kashmir over the control of the IDA: JK. The UN force will and IDA: JK as one ‘Sovereign’ union, or they not have any citizen of India in its contingent both would like to join their brothers and sisters in Pakistan. Would they or either segment (IDA: JK .3. There should not be any person with lethal or Azad Kashmir) like to go with the Brahmins- arms while the ‘plebiscite’ is taking place. Hindus autocracy.
4. After having a peaceful plebiscite in the IDA: 6. Their (Kashmiris) wishes will be respected at JK, if necessary, the above process may be any cost. carried out in Azad Kashmir. 7. Should their decision be for a ‘Sovereign’ 5. Knowing the results of the plebiscite(s), the UN Kashmir; the UN personnel will entertain the team will announce the results of the plebiscite(s) ‘Sovereign State of Kashmir’ in the UNO and its agencies.
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Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon writes to Davinder Thakur Regarding the “ On-going Sikhs’ Struggle for Sovereignty, Independence and Political Power”:
O you Hindu (Chor, Dakku, dacoit, Lutere) s**** Let me tell you for your shallow knowledge of the Davinder Thakur & Likewise Brahmins-Hindus- Sikh History from the Sikh point of view that the turbaned Brahmins-Hindus, After all you have word 'India' did not exist on the world map, any played the card of your Brahmins-Hindus dictionary and encyclopedia of the English game, conceived around 1940s, of the "Sikhs language up until March 29th, 1849. None of you, Raj, the First Sovereign and Secular nation of the Brahmins and Hindus had been 'Sovereign South Asia, of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, from 1799 and Secular' until August 15th, 1947. The to March 14th, 1849." This Sovereign and Hindus-Brahmins had been 'subservient' to the Secular Sikh Raj had been the Super Military Afghans, Mughals, Sikhs, British, Portuguese, Firepower of the world as acknowledged by the etc., for more than 3500 years, up until the late British Army Brass generals during their visit to morning hours of August 15th, 1947. The Sikhs the Sovereign Sikh Raj of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. and Muslims of the 'Sikh Raj' fought for their This is what you, the Brahmins-Hindus-turbaned 'Sovereignty and Secular' nation until the political Brahmins-Hindus and all Sikh military and other power of the 'British East Indian Trading armed personnel of the Brahmins-Hindus forces, Company, which landed at the Southern tip of joined in the afternoon of August 15th, 1947 or the sub-continent, later known as British East thereafter have to learn. These bigots and India Company and then the British India Empire', utopians are virtually devoid of this aspect of the since March 14th, 1849. The 'Sikh Raj of Sikh History. That is, the 'annexation' of the Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh had been 'Sovereign and Raj of Maharaja Ranjit Singh took place on Secular nation and became the part of the British March 29th, 1849. However, the Sikhs' Struggle Empire after its 'annexation' only to the British for their sovereignty, Independence and Political Empire' and have been "Struggling to be power began right after they lost to the British Sovereign and Independent. This battle for the Empire's forces because of the betrayals of Sikhs' Sovereignty and Independence has been Hindu-dogras on March 14th, 1849. The going on, without any interruption, ever since 'annexed' Sikh Raj of Maharaja Ranjit Singh March 14th, 1849 under the leadership of Guru became a part of the British Empire on March Granth Sahib and the 'Sikh Traditions'. As such, 29th, 1849, for the administration purpose only, the PUNJAB alias the Sikh Raj of Ranjit Singh as announced by Lord Dalhousie, from Radio had nothing to do with the Mughal Empire and station of Rawalpindi (now the twin city of most of the Hindu and Muslim Kingdoms that Rawalpindi and Islamabad of the Islamic were conquered or merged into the 'British India Republic of Pakistan). Empire'. Unfortunately, the 'Sovereignty' had been given like the 'begging business' on the
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platter by the British agent of the British Empire, Brahmins-Hindus parliament, that "On behalf of to the Brahmins-Hindus-Baniyas. his Sikh Nation, he 'rejected' the Indian What you talk about the Sikh Raj alias PUNJAB Constitution, which stinks badly like curate’s of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the First Sovereign and eggs, devoid of nutritional value and unfit for Secular Nation of South Asia remained 'annexed' human consumption." As such, the Sikh Nation, even before the Brahmins-Hindus-Baniyas PUNJAB of August 15th, 1947 has not been becameon August 15th, 1947, before the political signed/accepted/endorsed the Indian Constitution power had been transferred to the 'unelected' of 1950; although the vicious policies of the Brahmins-Hindus-Baniya leaders by the British Brahmins-Hindus-Baniya have 'Divided/broken' Empire's agent. On the transfer of political power the Sikhs PUNJAB of August 15th, 1947 into on August 15th, 1947, the British India Empire three pieces, i. e., PUNJAB, Himachal Pradesh became what it stands to day as a colonial, and Haryana, leaving Chandigarh and PUNJABI, oppressor, expansionist state 'India'. Right after a the language of the Sikhs only aside. The few moments after receiving the political power Brahmins-Hindus-Baniyas-Aryasamajists from the British agent, the Brahmins-Hindus- Disowned' their mother (Punjabi language) in the Baniyas 'robbed/swallowed' the Sikhs' PUNJAB, census of 1960s. Sikh Raj, although its status had been 'annexed' To sum up, the Sikhs' struggle for Sovereignty to the British Empire and not the British India has been going on since March 14th, 1849 and Empire. Seven-weeks later, on October 10th, will continue until their Sikh Nation, PUNJAB of 1947 the 'trio' Brahmin-Hindus-Baniya state August 15th, 1947 proclaims Sovereignty, issued a 'circular', under the signature of JL Independence and political power. The Nehru, CL Trivedi-VB Pant that "Sikhs are a Sovereignty is the 'Birthright of Sikhs' and they lawless community, dangerous to the law-abiding will continue to fight for it until their Sikh Nation, Hindus (Brahmins-Hindus-Baniyas), and be dealt PUNJAB of August 15th, 1947, is Sovereign. The firmly by the law-enforcing agencies." Sikhs will 'honor' all international and political Irrespective of what you, the Brahmins-Hindus- agreements with their Brothers and sisters of the turbaned Brahmins, write about the Sikhs' Islamic Republic of Pakistan. I ask my brothers History, it has nothing but the distorted one and and sisters, the armed forces and related heavily saffaronized by Brahmins-Hindus- services of Pakistan to be 'STRONG' to defeat turbaned Brahmins institutions working under the the 'Brahmins-Hindus-turbaned Brahmins-Hindus' Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the and other enemies of the Islamic Republic of University Grant Commission. The latter controls Pakistan. I am of the view that other nations the finances and educational syllabus of the seeking and struggling for their Sovereignty and universities as hired by pseudo-experts (all Political power will defeat the Brahmins-Hindus- Brahmins-Hindus), so to speak. Baniyas, because Indian demo[n]cracy is NOT Further, let me tell you that the Sikhs of PUNJAB, one nation. India is a nation of Nations. These who have not accepted the Indian Constitution nations have to control their own Sovereignty and 1950, in its draft and final forms. The Sikhs' future of their non-Brahmins-Hindus present and elected representatives have 'REJECTED and future generations. Amen! turned down' the Indian Constitution 1950 four Please do not look for any further exchange of times. Sirdar Kapur Singh, a Cambridge information/views, as the Brahmins-Hindus- university graduate, MLA, MP and the National Baniyas are all 'close-minded' creatures. Professor of Sikhism said in the Lok Sabha, the May God bless you. *****
THE 2nd MAY SAGA REVISITED TO MALIGNE PAKISTAN Asif Haroon Raja On the night of 01/02 May 2011, two US operation was launched on the basis of Blackhawk stealth helicopters carrying over two intelligence provided by the ISI in 2009. Mobile dozens soldiers from US Navy SEALs took off conversation of an Arab from Taxila with from Jalalabad Airbase and headed for another one in Kuwait was recorded and handed Abbottabad to get Osama bin Laden (OBL). The over to CIA. The CIA built upon this piece of
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information and it got the breakthrough in with his family consisting of three wives and August 2010 when a detainee in Gitmo large number of teenaged children and toddlers recognized the voice and disclosed that al- and posed no threat to anyone. His alleged Kuwaiti was OBL’s personal body guard. This involvement in 9/11 terrorist attacks which killed lead led CIA to OBL’s residence in Abbottabad. nearly 3000 American citizens has yet not been ISI which had worked in close cooperation with proven. There is widely held perception both CIA and had helped in arresting hundreds of Al- within USA and elsewhere that it was an in- Qaeda and Taliban operatives and high value house drama. According to the US/western leaders was kept completely in the dark on the security analysts and policy makers, al-Qaeda is plea that it might scare away the target. Keeping an international terrorist organization, which in Pakistan out of the loop was not because of trust their perception is the most dangerous threat to deficit as widely perceived but because of CIA’s the world peace and security. Despite the arrest personal vendetta. of large numbers of al-Qaeda high-profile Thoroughly rehearsed Team-6 belonging to the leaders by Pakistan, al-Qaeda as an organization US Navy SEALs team managed to reach the is still in existence and strikes whenever target area but instead of capturing the most opportunity comes its way. It has spread its wanted man alive, it killed him and took his tentacles far and wide and after its enfeeblement body away to Afghanistan and dumped it in the in Afghanistan, it has made Arabian Peninsula as sea. There was no reason to kill him since he was its main base of operation. However, it has not unarmed and had no bodyguard to protect him. been able to mount another terrorist attack in His loyal wife who had tried to shield him at the USA after 9/11 because of extraordinary peril of her life and got wounded was also homeland security built with American unarmed. OBL was a frail and sick man and taxpayers’ money. could barely walk due to his acute kidney For a decade the US had no clue about the problems and was surviving on medication. He whereabouts of OBL. Even now, it doesn’t had also discontinued his nightly walk in the exactly know how al-Qaeda manages its compound due to ill-health. He had got cut off recruitment, funding, communication and from al-Qaeda and was non-operational since logistics and how its command infrastructure long. Aymal al-Zawahiri and other leaders had functions. It is unclear about the level of al- been running the show under a decentralized Qaeda-Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda-TTP arrangement since 2002. cooperation. OBL was the key man to provide OBL was a hunted man with $25 million head answers to all the nagging queries. Capturing money. He was leading a quiet and inactive life him and taking him away alive would have helped the US in acquiring information on
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missing links and in speedy dismantlement and dead. Or, lure of $25 million was so strong that uprooting of al-Qaeda in real sense. Alive OBL the raiders didn’t want to take any chance. Alive was hundred times better than captured OBL would have become a problem child for the documents and letters, which few will believe in US since the world would have sought his open their authenticity. He could be brainwashed or trial by an unbiased court to ascertain the coerced through water boarding, similar to veracity of 9/11 saga which has soaked the several other detainees in Guantanamo Bay to Muslim world in blood and sentenced only if compel him to admit that he had masterminded found guilty. The US had rejected the offer of 9/11. He could be befriended during captivity. Mullah Omar in September 2001 to either After all he had been a blue-eyed boy of CIA and furnish proof of OBL’s involvement in 9/11 or to Reagan administration in the 1980s and had try him by a neutral court. This option was played his role as a committed Mujahid against unpalatable and unacceptable for the US. Soviet forces entirely to the satisfaction of his Fact of the matter is that the US had mal mentors in Washington. Al-Qaeda was also on intentions from the very outset. It had cunningly the side of NATO in Libyan war and had played roped in Pakistan and coerced it to become its a key role in toppling Qaddafi’s regime. coalition partner to fight GWOT but in actuality This priceless treasure for which a worldwide had dangerous designs against it. Prime focus of massive manhunt had been launched in 2002 was the Indo-US-Israeli nexus has been on Pak grasped but senselessly murdered for nukes. It used Pakistan not to defeat terrorism incomprehensible reasons. The one shooting him but to weaken Pakistan from within through to death could have justified his act if OBL had covert war to such an extent that either it resisted, or tried to escape. Nothing of the kind voluntarily opted to hand over its nukes to happened. He stood motionless in his upper survive economically, or became incapable of storey bedroom and his wife pleaded for mercy. defending its arsenal. It was essentially this Either his personality was so over towering and hidden agenda which impelled the US to play a awesome that the soldier who faced him got dual game, show dissatisfaction over its overawed and nervy and in panic pressed the performance, distrust it, malign and ridicule it by trigger fearing that he may pounce upon him like subjecting it to series of humiliating accusations. a tiger and snuff the life out of him. Or, the Stealth raid on the compound of OBL in destruction of one of the Blackhawk helicopters Abbottabad came at a time when relations had unnerved him and his colleagues. Or, Obama between the two allies had got strained as a result had modified his predecessor’s directive of of Raymond Davis incident. Ego of the getting OBL dead or alive and wanted OBL domineering USA got hurt when Pakistan stood its ground and refused to grant diplomatic
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immunity to the double murderer and was challenge to the ISAF. They have wrested the released only when blood money was paid the initiative and dampened all hopes of victory next of kin of the deceased. Another grouse was repeatedly claimed by the US generals. Under Pak Army’s refusal to launch a major operation the changed operational environment, it is in North Waziristan, which the ISAF felt was Taliban and not 100 or so al-Qaeda fighters in necessary to achieve success in eastern Afghanistan that posed the real threat. OBL was Afghanistan. willfully demonized as well as cleverly lionized If Pak Army and ISI were associated with OBL to justify ISAF’s continued stay in Afghanistan as alleged by the US, vital information which led despite reverses and economic meltdown. 2 May to OBL’s hideout would not have been passed on adventure was undertaken merely to browbeat to CIA. The US decided not only to stand on the Pakistan. Otherwise there was no earthly reason victory stand singly, but also to exploit its not to take Pakistan in confidence and conduct a adventure by maligning Pak Army and ISI. joint operation. Moreover, there was no rationale Instead of feeling remorseful for stabbing its ally to hurriedly and clandestinely dump the body of in the back, one year has lapsed since OBL’s OBL in Arabian Sea. This hush-hush burial has death still shrouded in mystery, but the US/western propaganda machinery is still given rise to avoidable speculations that it was a maligning Pakistan. The US leadership drama played upon already dead OBL. audaciously claims that elements within Army/ISI had provided logistic support to OBL. OBL could have been easily captured by Pak The US will keep releasing faked or genuine letters captured from Abbottabad compound security agencies without firing a bullet if CIA allegedly written by OBL, to keep Pakistan in had shared intelligence with ISI. To over ensure the dock as was the case with Wikileaks. that OBL didn’t escape, the CIA could have The US knew that OBL had lost his relevance placed a security ring around the compound with and his capture or death would have made little its setup in Abbottabad. Since the initial lead was difference to the plunging fortunes of al-Qaeda given by ISI, this arrest would have added in Af-Pak region or of the ISAF, stuck in the another feather in its cap, which the US least quagmire of Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda had been desired. One of the possible reasons the US sufficiently mauled in Pak-Afghan region as a didn’t share intelligence was that it had not result of pro-active role of Pak security forces forgotten the incident of Mullah Baradar arrested and CIA operated drones. All its known leaders from Karachi in January 2010 at the pointing of wanted by the US had been arrested by Pak CIA. Some compelling security considerations agencies and handed over to the US. While al- had refrained Pak from handing him over either Qaeda in this region stands shriveled, the Taliban to the US or to Afghan authorities. The incident have resurged and emerged as the major had stirred up misgivings between the two allies. The US had also been alleging that Pakistan was
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not being informed in advance about the Salala. It was a vengeful act to show its intended drone strikes since it had reasons to displeasure. Since NATO supplies have not been believe that Pak agencies would let the bird fly reopened and no change has come in the stance away before it was targeted. Another oft repeated of ISI under Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam and CIA allegation was that elements within the army/ISI network is fast being dismantled and US were aligned with Taliban and al-Qaeda. With officials’ meddlesome role curbed, in reaction such a jaundiced mindset and level of distrust, the US propaganda machinery has relived the US decided not to take Pakistan into Abbottabad saga in a big way. Instead of feeling confidence for its Operation ‘Get Geronimo’. remorseful over 2 May and 26 November acts, With prestige and honor of the US and NATO the US want Pakistan to forget about the two badly tainted, Obama direly needed a shot in the events and to lay prostrate in total submission to arm to up kick his political fortunes. He was the dictates of Washington. To build up a new desperate to show something worthwhile to the pressure, foxy Hillary Clinton on her visit to Americans. He, Pentagon and CIA perceiving India came out with another bloomer that al- Pakistan to be responsible for the US failures in Zawahiri is in Pakistan. This theme along with Afghanistan wanted Pak Army and ISI, the two ‘do more’ theme and ‘get Hafiz Saeed’ theme defiant institutions to be discredited in the eyes will be played in 2012-13 to keep Pakistan on of Pakistanis. 2 May attack was therefore not the tenterhooks. The only way to silence the US undertaken to get hold of the most wanted man guns of malice and falsehood is to get rid of our and thus break the back of terrorism, but to policy of appeasement and to adopt an humiliate Pakistan’s premier institutions. independent foreign policy and pro-active psy Memogate was part of the scheme to draw a deep ops policy to show mirror to the US about its cleavage between the Army/ISI and the black deeds. The writer is a retired Brig, author of several government. books and a freelance defence and security When Pakistan sailed out of turbulent waters, in analyst, who writes for international and national sheer frustration the US asked NATO to strike newspapers/websites.
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Dal Khalsa Alliance Suite 303 1700 Schttuck Avenue Berkeley, CA 94709 USA Parmjit Singh Sekhon President E-mail: [email protected] MEMORANDUM The Hon N. Pillay High Commissioner United Nations High Commission for Human Rights, UN Human Rights Council Palais des Nations, CH 1211 Geneva 10 SWITZERLAND 12th March, 2012
Your Excellency Mrs Pillay, HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND GENOCIDE IN PARTICULAR OF SIKHS IN THEIR HOLY AND HISTORICAL LAND, PUNJAB, AND THE NON-HINDU MINORITIES I IN GENERAL IN PREDOMINANTLY HINDU INDIA We, the Sikhs of Switzerland, European countries and Bains, [email protected]; July 14, 2001; Kumar North America, would like to apprise you, your RN et al.2003 Reduced To Ashes: The Insurgency and Excellency, of human rights abuses of the Sikhs and Human Rights in Punjab ISBN 99933-53-57-4 other non-Hindu minorities in India which have taken
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of Representatives, 107th Congress, July 11, 2001; summarized as follows: The Hon Cynthia A McKinney, MC Self- On 5th November, 1978, the Hindu India police of Determination For Sikh Homeland Discussed on Delhi fired at a Sikh procession and killed four Sikhs, Capitol Hill, The US House of Representatives, June including the president of the Delhi Akali Party 28, 2001); slaughtering of 16 Muslims by the police; [Sekhon AS and Dilgeer HS 1999, 2006 A White burning of the Muslim holy scripture, The Quran Paper On Khalistan (A True Story) The Sikh Nation Shariff, in New Delhi, Patiala, and Amritsar, Punjab (ed) A T Kerr ISBN 0-9695964-8-0]. Acting Mukh- (March 24, 2000
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On February 6, 2000, the death of a Dalit youth in Wake-Up Call for Sikh Nation, June 27, police custody in Morinda, Ludhiana, was horrifying. 2001< [email protected]>). In an affidavit filed on He was killed in cold blood because he objected to 28th August, 2000, by Mr Sartaj Singh, resident of police’s drinking session at a public place. This Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir (under the occupation of incidence revived memories of the dark period in the Indian administration), Internationally Disputed areas history of Punjab when countless innocent young men by the United Nations, stated that he was tortured and were killed in false encounters, but police records received painful psychological harassment by the turned them into ruthless terrorists. Indian police. The police personnel wanted him to A mother of six sons, Bibi Jaswant Kaur, lost her confess for the things, which he never did. The police husband in 1987. Three of her six sons succumbed to personnel also wanted him to tell the whereabouts of tuberculosis. The other three were abducted and killed Neeta alias Ranjit Singh, a freedom fighter, Harbhajan by Punjab police. One of the three sons, Pragat Singh, Singh, Gian Singh and Joginder Singh, who are at 23-yrs-old, was arrested in 1987, kept in captivity for large. The police personnel wanted him to make a 14 months. After his release police raided his home on false confession that ‘we all know one another’. 9th September 1988, and shot him dead. The eldest Miss Manorama of Manipur was gang raped by the son, Jagir Singh, 25-yrs-old, working as a volunteer in men of the Assam Rifles and was thrown out of the a Taran Taran Gurdwara, was taken by the police and headquarters after mutilating her private parts in July, did not return. The youngest son, Mohinder Singh (20- 2004. More recently (9th February, 2005), a 12-year- yrs-old) was with the religious man, Baba Charan old girl was allegedly raped by a constable of the force Singh (see above). He was abducted by the police on in central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, triggering 14th June 1991 and died in police custody. Jaswant protests from women’s organizations. In a blatant Kaur has tried all possible avenues to get justice, but violation of human rights, the district police today has had no luck ([email protected]; March 20, tortured a Dalit youth to death after he refused to 2001; post #4181; accept his involvement in a theft case (Jalandhar, http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/sikhyouth;
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UN Secretary-General (former), His Excellency Kofi were used to prison the Sikhs indiscriminately Annan’s interview (Time, 4th September, 2000) will regardless of gender and age. Sanitary facilities were be welcomed by the justice-loving peoples of our virtually non-existent. This reflects the treatment of civilized world that “those who commit crimes and Indira Gandhi and her administration of the Brahmins those who watch as bystanders are equally responsible autocracy to the Sikhs.” for the crime taking place.” What we have brought to Bibi Manjit Kaur Dakha (1992): Manjit Kaur Dakha your attention, your Excellency, is just the ‘tip of the and her husband sought political asylum in the United iceberg’ of human rights abuses, religious States after being tortured by the Indian armed persecution(s), rapes, humiliation, dehumanization and personnel. Mrs. Dakha, her father, and her 6-mo-old crimes committed by the state-sanctioned armed daughter (Bhaghel Kaur) were tortured mercilessly, personnel of what our civilized world terms as the given repeated death threats, and her child was made “largest democracy” in the world, India. A leading to sit on a colony of ants by the Central Reserve Police magazine has pointed out “India is ruled by rascals.” Force (CRPF). The daughter and father were made to “Many Indians silently witness their country’s beat each other with clubs. unlawful events. Several members of the ruling party’s Sardar Surinder Singh Fauji (a retired army youth wing have in the past been charged with rapes personnel), of Fatehabad, Tehsil: Khadur Sahib of and kidnapping. Officials respond that all parties have Amritsar district of Punjab, has been physically, their thugs. Politicians use thugs to capture polling mentally and psychologically tortured by Punjab booths and stuff ballot boxes (The Economist, 15th police since May 27, 1986. Valuable household July, 1995, p. 26).” According to the Hon Dana articles were stolen by the police personnel from his Rohrabacher, for the Sikhs, Kashmiri Muslims, and residence never returned. Despite his writing to the other minorities “India might as well be Nazi Prime Minister (PV Rao), Home Minister of India (SB Germany” (Press Release: Council of Khalistan, Chawan), Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India, Chief Washington DC; June 27, 2001 Justice, Punjab and Haryana High court, and the < [email protected]>). Another Sikh, Devinder Senior Session Judge, Amritsar, there was no relief Pal Singh Bhullar, is about to be put to death in India from the police excesses. for a crime even India admitted he didn't commit (Hon More than 35 Sikh youth, including Kanwarpal Singh Edolphus Towns, MC. Proc House of Representatives, Bittu and Sarbjit Singh Ghuman of the Dal Khalsa, Washington DC, 18th March, 2003). were in police custody. Similarly, Jagtaar Singh Manmohan Sinh, the present Chief, Council of Hawara, his wife and other family members are Ministers, a non-elected ‘Member of Parliament’ of humiliated (by putting cigarettes and tobacco in his India, supposed to be an honest and clean person mouth), tortured and harassed by the Punjab and Delhi delivered his state address before the “World police (www.panthic.org 17th July, 2005). Another Conference on Human Rights Delegates in Vienna, Sikh leader, Daljit Singh Bittu, President, Panch Austria, on 24th June (14 to 25th June), 1993. He, then Pradhani, and thousand of Sikh youth are in jails, Finance Minister of the PV Rao’s administration, said without trials and crimes. that “ he being Sikh finds no abuses of Human Rights A human rights lawyer and prominent Sikh nationalist of Sikhs much less any minorities in India.” Another Harpal Singh Cheema, after spending eight years in a person, Shahabuddin, Manmohan Singh’s colleague of California jail, whom Judge Dana Keener determined the Islamic faith, said the same of Muslims of India. Singh did not pose a threat to national security. The Abuses of Human Rights in the Sikhs’ holy and Hon judge stopped short of granting him full asylum, historic Homeland, Punjab, Khalistan (under the but forbade the then-INS from deporting the couple. Brahmins-Hindus autocracy’s occupation, have been Indeed, she noted that Singh “is widely perceived as a taking place, since 15th August, 1947). Manmohan moderate and a voice for reason (Camille T Tairara, Singh’s statement was ‘refuted’ in the strongest Editor, New America Media, News Feature, Aug 07, possible words by the human rights and peace-loving 2006). To escape atrocities and persecution during citizens (delegates) of North America and elsewhere. custody of the Indian law-enforcing personnel until Your Excellency, following the execution of 1992, Mr Cheema and his wife sought asylum in the “Operation Bluestar” of June, 1984, an ‘undeclared’ United States in1993 war on the Sikh Nation, Punjab, by the Indian armed (www.news.ncmonline.com/news/views_article.htmal forces, according to Sekhon (2009 ISBN 0-9548929- ? Mr Cheema is separated from his wife and son. Both 4-1). During “Operation Bluestar, June 1984”, every mother and son are too scared to return to India. village of the Sikhs’ holy and historic homeland, Recently, in the second week of February, 2010, the Punjab, was turned into a “Concentration Camp;” Punjab police killed 13 youth in Ludhina district of ’Open air’ jails were established outside every village Punjab, while they were participating in the Birthday of Punjab. These jails were covered by the barbed celebrations of Shaheed-Bilas Saint-soldier Jarnail wires, in the heat of June – August months, when the Singh Khalsa, Punjab’s political and religious leader usual temperatures in Punjab are 47 C or more, had of the 20th century (www.rozananaspokesman.com). been under the supervision of the Indian armed A mass Grave of Sikhs killed in November 1984 has personnel, were no less than the concentration camps been discovered after 26 years in village Hondh- of Adolf Hitler’s times in the Nazi Germany. These ‘open air’ barbed wire concentration camps/jails
45 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
Chillar, District Rewari, Haryana.The village was Scripture took place in a town in Hoshiarpur district of inhabited by several Sikh families. OnNovember Punjab. 2nd, 1984 in an organized and well planned attack,the entire village was burnt, along with the Recently, the Vice Chancellor of the Punjab Sikh populationand Gurudwara.The village University, invited Professor of Sikhism Gurtej Singh, consisting of torched houses, a burnt Gurudwaraand to write an invitational article on the ‘Sikh War Code’. scattered human bones have now been discovered Professor Gurtej Singh’s invitational article was th (www.punjabspectrum.com, 17 February, 2011). ‘rejected’ on the ground that certain changes are required before it is accepted for publication by his It is learned from highly reliable sources that the university. This is a ‘discrimination’ of Punjab Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had been University’s policy against the Sikhs and the highly operating at least four deep pans of boiled oil to kill esteemed Sikh writer of the international caliber. More alive the Sikh youth in Amritsar in the post-undeclared than 257,000 Sikh farmers have committed suicide war on the occupied Sikh Nation, under the consent of since post-“Operation Bluestar” era in the ‘robbed’ the then administration of India. PUNJANB, because heavy burdens of the taxes imposed by the administration of Hanera (Prakash) th Recently, in the second week of February, 2010, Sinh Badal (Rozanaspokesman, 29 February, the Punjab police killed 13 youth in Ludhina district of 2012).We request you to bring to justice the deceased Punjab, while they were participating in the Birthday or living politicians of Indian administrations (Indira celebrations of Shaheed-Bilas Saint-soldier Jarnail Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Chandershekhar, P Singh Khalsa, Punjab’s political and religious leader Chidambaram (now Home Minister of India; one of (www.punjabspectrum.com, February 21, 2011). the members of a 3-men Team in the 'War Room' during an 'undeclared' war on the 'Landless Sikh Nation, ‘robbed’ Punjab' of 15th August, 1947, in June, According to the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the summons 1984). V P Sinh, Dev Gowda, P V Rao, A B Vajpayee against Congress have been issued pursuant to a class and their cabinet colleagues, including Narendra Modi action lawsuit filed (SFJ v. Congress (I) SDNY (10 and his cabinet colleagues responsible for the Gujarat CV 2940)) under Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) and Massacre of Muslims (February to November, 2002), Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). The plaintiffs Hanera (Prakash) Sinh Badal of the ‘robbed’ in the case against Congress (I) are "Sikhs For Justice" PUNJAB, and/or appointees like HKL Bhagat, Jagdish (SFJ) a US based human rights group along with Tytler, Arun Nehru, SD Sharma, SS Ray, Boota several Sikhs from different states and cities of India Singh, LK Advani, GL Nanda, Surjit Barnala, Balwant who survived attacks in November 1984 (3rd March, Singh, Beant Singh, PD Singh, JS Chohan (deceased), 2011, posted by SFJ on many websites). Surender Nath, Prakash Sinh Badal, GS Tohra, HS Longowal, Lalit Makan, to cite but a few; police Reported recently (www.facebook.com, 14th March, officers JF Rebeiro, KPS Gill (the Butcher of Punjab), 2011), large number of Sikhs gathered in Gurudwara Sarbjit Singh, Sumedh Saini (Senior Superintendent at Pandri Kattaiyyan 10 kms from Nanakmatt, Pilibhit Police), DR Bhatti for the killings of Professor (Dr) road and 15 kms from Sitarganj.The gurudwara was Rajinder Pal Singh Gill (Bulara), Dr Gurnam Singh locked but ransacked and the Holy Scripture of Sikhs, Buttar, Bhai Gurbhej Singh of the Jalandhar district Guru Granth Sahib, was set on fire; whereas, two and others, Swarn Ghotna, Gobind Ram, AS Sandhu more copies were torned off by sharp weapons. The (declared deceased by the Indian administration and majority of farmers in this area is the Sikhs, Musilms associates. However, he is living under fake identity in and Biharis labourer.. A Muslim named Mehadi Halifax, NS, Canada, as reported by Hassan (MH) was caught stealing the motor from
46 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
Respectfully submitted, Dal Khalsa of America [email protected]
Sincerely. Ram Singh* President, American Gurdwara Council Ph: 1.408.667- 3116 Parmjit Singh Sekhon,* Karnail Singh Khalsa* PresidentDal Khalsa Alliance President, Gurmat Chetna Lahar of the United States of America Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon 1.510.557-9168
Harmindar Singh* Editor in Chief President, Khalsa Jagriti Lahar of the United States of America International Journal of Sikh Affairs ISSN 1481-5435 Sukhwinder Singh, President, Sikh Sahit Sabha EDMONTON, AB T5T 2B8 510.277-7560 CANADA < [email protected]> Advisor (Foreign Affairs), Dal Khalsa Alliance Baljinder Singh, President, Sikh Sabhiachar Committee 510.774-5909 Sikh Federation Swiss Signed by: Amarjit Singh Khalsa* Sultan Singh Akhtar < [email protected]> President, International Sikh Sahit Sabha Freemont, CA, USA Alla Singh Bhogal Chairman, International Sikh Sabhiachar Society * Denotes signed with the permission [email protected]
M. S. Randhawa Senior Advisor, Council of Khalistan Washington, DC, USA
Signed by: Gaganjit Singh* *****
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST DALITS, MINORITIES AND
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF INDIA
Room: XXII
Place: Palace des Nations
Date: 15th March, 2012
Time: 16:00 – 18:00
Chairman: Dr Charles Graves
47 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
SPEAKERS: Professor Athawala Indira unelected Brahmins-Hindu leaders of their
Wishwarao, University of Poona, PUNE, Mr Indian colony. The Sikhs have been
Dino Dean Gracious (Christian Indigenous continuing their “Struggle To Regain the
Community), Professor Dilip Kumar Behera Lost Sovereignty of the Sikh Nation, for their
(Dalit Community), and Dr Awatar Singh Independence and Political Power, by
Sekhon, The Sikh Educational Trust and peaceful means as taught to them by the
Editor in Chief, International Journal of teachings of their Sikh Guru Sahibaans,
Sikh Affairs ISSN 1481-5435 Guru Baba Nanak Sahib to Sahib Guru
Gobind Singh ji and The Sikh Traditions, CONTINUING CHRONIC PROBLEMS along with the Sikh War Code (Professor OF THE SIKH NATION: The Sikh nation, Gurtej Singh 2012, J Sikh Affairs 22, 1- , PUNJAB, The Sikh Raj, had been the First ISSN 1481-5435), ever since the day they lost Sovereign and Secular nation of South Asia their sovereignty to the British Empire. of a monarch Ranjit Singh, 1799 to
th 14 March 1849. On this fateful day of On 15th August, 1947, within two hours of 14thMarch 1849, the forces of the British getting the reign of their free India, the Empire defeated the Sikh nation. On Brahmins-Hindus leadership, they ‘robbed’ 29th March 1849 the British Empire’s viceroy the Sikh Nation, PUNJAB of Sikhs, which Lord Dalhousie made a radio announcement from Rawalpindi (now the twin city of never became known until a next few weeks.
Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Islamic Republic Exactly, 7-wwek following the independence of Pakistan) that the Sikh Raj, PUNJAB of of India, the Brahmins-Hindus, who had monarch Ranjit Singh is “annexed” but not been ‘subservient’ to the Afghans, Mughals, amalgamated to the British Empire, for Sikhs, British, Portuguese, etc, for more than administration purposes only. The Sikh
Nation remained “annexed” until the agent 3,500 years, a trio of CL Trivedi, JL Nehru of the British India Empire, the successor of and VB Patel, circulated their circular to the the British East India Company, handed Deputy Commissioners of Punjab, that over the political reign of the British India to the “Sikhs are a lawless community,
48 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
dangerous to the law-abiding and culture as well, called the Sikhs
Brahmins-Hindus.” The first victim of as ‘long-haired Hindus’, the Hindus who
their circular had been Sirdar Kapur Singh, a had been subservient before they received
University of Cambridge student, ICS the reign on the platter to rule India. What a
(Indian Civil Service), MP, MLA and the deceit, betrayal, broken political promises of
National Professor of Sikhism. The person the Brahmins-Hindus of India. The deceitful
who not only ‘rejected’ the Indian Brahmins-Hindus who have been trying to
Constitution of 1950, on 6thSeptember, 1966, destroy the Sikhs and the Sikh religion for
in the Lok Sabha alias the parliament of the over five and one-half centuries,
Brahmins-Hindus of India, but called the unsuccessfully.
document ‘curate’s, stink heavily and unfit The question arises why these Brahmins- for the human consumption, because it Hindus have been doing so? Simple answers is devoid of nutritious values. This had to this question is their own criminal activity been the fourth time when the Sikhs’ elected to make the Sikhs criminals and representatives ‘rejected’ a document, declaring through their circular the ‘Sikhs prepared to rule the Brahmins-Hindus are a lawless community, and country, but not the non-Brahmins, dangerous to the law-abiding Hindus’ including the Sikhs of Punjab of 15th August (on 10th October, 1947) 1947. Since 1950, the Sikhs have been ruled
heavy handedly and without any Why did the Brahmins-Hindus of
constitutional power. The very document of 15th August 1947, made the
1950, which is known as the Indian Sikhs ‘criminals’ and declare ‘a lawless
Constitution 1950, swallowedthe Sikh community, to the law-abiding
Religion, the 5th largest religion of the world Hindus-Brahmins’? A very good question
49 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
to drive the Sikhs out of the political arena, Sikhs) are criminals and ‘…dangers
to take them the courts of law and swallow people to law-abiding Brahmins-
them, their Holy Scripture, Guru Granth Hindus, the i. e., high caste, caste
Sahib, the Sikh Code of Conduct, to compel people and us.
them to commit suicide, to destroy their all We have been smarter than you, the Sikh, means of agricultural professions, etc. we the Brahmins-Hindus, have politicized
As Criminals are dealt in the Court(s) of law, the country’s judicial system, the justices of
the Brahmins-Hindus rulers of India of Supreme and High courts and lower courts
15th August 1947 made the Sikhs criminals have to serve the (corrupt, immoral,
and let them harass them as long as they are unethical, criminal, etc.) politicians. Our
exhausted and meet their own death. The courts cannot go against us as far as the
politicians, Brahmins-Hindus, do not have Criminal Sikhs, Muslims, Christians and
to meet the Sikhs, to resolve the Sikh other minorities are concerned. It does not
Nation’s chronic problems, to tell the matter if a lost person in wilderness; for
sufferers (Sikhs) how could, we the masters example, Honorable Justice A Qadri of the
and politicians of free India, we meet you, Gujarat State High Court said in 2002,
face to face, as you are criminals and we are during the Genocide of Muslims of Gujarat,
the ruling politicians of India. You, the that “Article 14A of the Indian
Sikhs, are not our political foe but are Constitution was rendered
criminals; as such, go to our courts and get ineffective.” Y es, we the spineless and
judgment of your concerns, provided the morally corrupt politicians of India know it
Hon justices would like to consider your very well how to make the Home, Defense,
concerns. Yes, for us politicians, you (the Information, Foreign ministries and their
personnel corrupt. They have to serve us, the
50 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
Brahmins-Hindus politicians. If an honest innocent Sikhs (infants, children, females, person like Mr Justice A Qadri makes some males, elderly, etc.) were butcher between odd observation and/or comments, which 1st and 7th June, 1984. Since this cares in the Brahmins-Hindus-turbaned ‘undeclared’ war, a total of over 100,000
Brahmins Congress or the saffaronized right innocent Sikhs have been slaughtered, in wing political parties. order to complete the wishes of the
Brahmins-Hindus and their bootlickers Next to criminalization and a lawless turbaned Brahmins, like Prakash Sinh community dangerous to the law-abiding Badal, Chief Minister, the occupied Sikh Hindus-Brahmins is in order to ‘exterminate Nation by the Brahmins-Hindus alleged the Sikhs of the Sikh Nation, ‘robbed’ Punjab Indian democracy alias autocracy. It should of 15th August, 1947, no constitution rights to be noted that the Brahmins have had never the Sikhs, had been to wage an ‘undeclared’ been the followers of democracy. So much war on the Sikh Nation in the form of a so, MK Gandhi had advised the British brutal military “Operation Bluestar” of June, Empire’s one of the prime ministers to 1984. Further to ‘extermination’ of Sikhs, follow Adolf Hitler of the Nazi Germany in the Darbar Sahib Complex, Amritsar, the times of the WW II. The occupied Sikh including the Supreme Seat of Sikh Polity, Nation had been a Concentration Camp in The Akal Takht Sahib, all religious and the days of the ‘undeclared war in post- political institutions (Gurdwaras or the “Operation Bluestar” era in 1984. Houses of God) were bombed or destroyed, to (i) destroy the Sikh culture, (ii) Sikhs’ Sardar Jaswant Singh Khalra: A human
Punjabi language (Script Gurmukhi) and rights activist of the Akali Dal-Badal Private
(iii) the Sikh literature. More than 170,000 Limited, Incorporation was deliberately
killed by Punjab police, because he had
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submitted a list of 50,000 Sikhs cremated at been named as Jail Singh or Jail Kaur, several places following compilation of the respectively. list to Punjab High Court .Police official , Some prominent figures who became supposed to have committed suicide after victims in post-“Operation Bluestar” era of torturing and killing Mr Khalra had warned June, 1984 have been Sardar Simranjit that if he submits the list to the High Court, Singh Mann, a former M P, Bhai Daljit Singh he would not hesitate to one more number Bittu, his associates, Bhai Balwant Singh (50,000 plus 1) to the list of Mr Khalra. Rajoana, Bhai Dilavar Singh Babbar, Bhai
The gross violations of human rights, Dilavar Singh Hawara, Bhai Parmjit Singh persecution, torture, staged encounter Bheora, Bhai Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, to killings of Sikh youth, cultural, educational, say the least. Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana’s social and political genocides have been the date to send him to gallows is set for common practices of the New Delhi 31st March 2012. He did not ask for any administration (NDA) and the mercy plea and forbid his family or any administration of Punjab State P. olice, other Sikh to do so on his behalf. He told the armed and investigational personnel court bluntly that he would love to go to employed have been virtually ‘devoid’ of gallows for the Sikh cause, i.e., the human rights. Sovereignty of the Sikh Nation, Punjab of
15th August 1947. He told the court that he Fate of the Sikh Prisoners: More than does not need any attorney to plead his case, 10,000 Sikh prisoners have been as he himself knows what he is up to. He languishing in the high security jails in would like to break the chains of the Punjab and outside, i. e., jails in other states. ‘Brahmins-Hindus’ slavery. Sovereignty of Children born to imprisoned couples have the Sikh Nation is his birthright. He is
52 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
looking forward to go to gallows as an Brahmins-Hindus. A Sikh or Muslim can
initiated Sikh. He did asked the Head of The never be pardoned, as is the case of Afzal
Akal Takht Sahib to initiate him. His request Guru of the IDA:JK (Internationally
has been granted in the jail where he is kept. Disputed Areas of Jammu Kashmir, under
He refused bluntly to meet with a delegation the Indian occupation since 28th August,
of Sant Samaj, on the grounds that the 1947) his behalf by his family, certain Sikh
members of this delegation are aligned with organizations and the Sikh Diaspora. Beside
the administration of a turbaned Brahmin of harassment by the state- or BJP-sponsored
the Sikh Nation, Prakash Sinh Badal. He parties members, the Sikh prisoners have
further made it clear that nothing will deter been ill treated, every time during their
him to go gallows. Another Sikh, Devinder court appearances. By and large, the courts
Pal Singh Bhullar has already been on the advance their appearances further by setting
death row for the last couple of years, for the some future date for hearing, so that they
crime he did not commit.. Although a mercy could be kept in jails and harassed until the
plea has been entered to the Supreme Court judgments are delivered.
of India and the President of India as well. On the other hand, one Kishori Lal killed Both haverejected his pleas. It should be over 20 Sikhs in the Genocide of Sikhs in mentioned that the High Court of Punjab’s November, 1984. He was found guilty and bench found him ‘not guilty’ (a bench sent for life imprisonment. About two weeks decision, 2 out of 3), but the Supreme ago, he was released from an Amritsar jail Court’s verdict was to reinstate his capital on the ground of good behaviour. Does this punishment. This makes it crystal clear that not evidence that a Hindu can be given parol there are two different laws. One is for the and pardon, but a Sikh, Muslim, Christian or Sikhs and Muslims and other for the non-Brahmin-Hindu cannot be pardon even
53 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
though he is not guilty (please see Devinder consumption and its usage is not good for
Singh Bhullar’s case who is on the death the irrigation of the agricultural
row). crops. Uranium pollution has been causing
cancer and cancer-like ailments in all over Punjab River Waters and the By-products: PUNJAB, especially in the Malwa belt. The It sad and highly disappointing that the author is of the strong opinion that Sikhs have no control over the Sikh Nation’s deliberated usage of armed armament by the river waters, electricity produced from hydro ‘Brahmins-Hindus Indian armed personnel dams. Punjab’s farmers are suffering from used highly toxic substances in Punjab, the the water for their agricultural crops and Sikh Nation, to pollute Punjab’s electricity is denied to them, as it is taken to environment and river waters, to kill the other provinces and the NDA. There has citizens of the ‘robbed’ Punjab of been no compensation to Punjab for their 15th August, 1947. It is a part of punishment river waters and the electricity. by the Brahmins-Hindus to the Sikhs, who
It is amply clear unless it is proven ‘rejected’ the Indian Constitution 1950, in
otherwise that the ‘Brahmins-Hindus 1948, 26th November, 1949, 1950 and
alleged Indian administration is all out to 6th September, 1966, in its draft and final
strangulate the Sikhs of the ‘robbed’ Punjab forms, in Lok Sabha alias Indian Parliament,
of 15th August 1947. by the Sikhs’ elected representatives, Sardar
Hukam Singh, Sardar Bhupinder Singh It should be noted that since an ‘undeclared’ Maan and Sirdar Kapoor Singh, ICS, MP, war on the Sikhs in June 1984, the Punjab MLA, National Professor of Sikhism. They river waters are heavily polluted with all were the Sikhs’ members of parliament. ‘uranium’, river waters are unfit for human
Hond-Chillar Genocide of Sikhs of
54 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
1984: The Sikhs of village Hond-Chillar of was broken in, his father’s cycle was stolen,
Rewari, Haryana were burnt alive and their utensils of his household were taken away,
remains had been found in 2011, more than without any crime
26-year post-“Operation Bluestar” of June (www.facebook.com/several groups). 1984 and the Genocide of Sikhs of
November 1984. Suicide of Sikh Farmers: The Sikh farmers
are heavily taxed, made poor and driven to A Sikh gentleman completed the story and commit suicide, for not paying tax funds. disseminated worldwide, using Internet Since an ‘undeclared’ war of June 1984, services. He was arrested by the police and committing suicide by more than 275,000 kept in jail for six months until a court found farmers considered as the greatest tragedy in him ‘not guilty’. He has been released about Punjab. The community that was boasted as 2-3 weeks ago. Consequently, he lost his the ‘bread basket’ of the ‘Brahmins-Hindus’ employment while in jail. His parents’ home democracy or democracy!
*****
CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PEACE & ADVOCACY
Agenda item 9
Presented by AWATAR SINGH SEKHON
General Debate
Madam President UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognized that they have the right to My organization is deeply concerned over their life, as a collective or individuals, with all the ever growing discrimination against the human rights and fundamental freedoms. They aboriginal population of India. The aboriginal have the right to autonomy or self-government in population consists of a heterogeneous set of matters for their internal and local affairs, as well ethnic and tribal groups, mainly populated in as ways for financing their autonomous North East of India. They are generally referred functions. Unfortunately, many governments as Adivasis. have failed in realization of the rights of the Indigenous peoples. The 5th & the 6th Scheduled of the Constitution of India has totally failed in We all know that these peoples around the globe safeguarding the rights of the Advasis. continue to suffer from historic injustices. The
55 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
Madam President We also urge the government to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and other laws like the The Adivasis are also facing serious systematic Forest Rights Act, which is being implemented in discrimination and exploitation in realization of the Areas of Adivasis population. their economical, social, cultural, civil and political rights. There have been systematic and Madam President sustained efforts by the government over the decades to force the Adivasis communities to be We urge the Council to persuade India to stop its economically dependent. Today the Adivasis are policy oi fmbalance this very region tha tmay facing new challenges in the name of threaten the very identity of the local peoples. We development. There has been an unprecedented also request the India administration to facilitate flow or imbalance of population from other states the local peoples' development without any of India in the name of development. The local interference. population considers it as a gradual exploitation and marginalization of the region’s vast natural resources. It is genuinely feared that their grip their own resources is about to end. I thank you
*****
UNITED NATIONS: HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy ITEM 5 Date: 14th March, 2012 Time: 12:00 – 15:00 hrs Presented by: Awatar Singh Sekhon Madam Chair,
Being the part of the largest minority population of high castes, out of over 1.2 billion hungry mouths are Dalits, I am a dalit, subscribing to the Sikh religion, the rulers of India. the fifth largest religion of the world, in addition to Even though the high castes, Brahmins-Hindus- untouchables, lower castes, uneducated majority. A turbaned Brahmins-Hindus, used us as the President, vast population (76%) of India lives on one meal per Chief Ministes(s) of the states, to their advantage. day having not any permanent address, no access to This is the tragedy of our gross human rights public health facilities, not allowed to fetch water violations, killings, denial of education, employment, from public wells, living at the mercy of the Almighty a decent social status, rapes of the women, etc. by the lord, since their birth in a country what has been law-enforcing agencies. pronounced deliberately the largest growing If we questioned the ruling or high caste people, to say democracy of our world. Besides Sikhs, including the least, there are limitless humiliation and Sikligar Sikhs (more thanl 70-million in population), dehumanization. living in Kartanatka State, the outcastes, untouchables, Madam Chair known as Schedule caste, schedule tribes, Shudras, A highly educated but a dalit, Sir VT Rajshekar, Muslims, of India are dalit also.i Editor in Chief, Dalit Voice, is our only voice of the Besides, being exploited every day by the caste or dalits. high caste people, the minority (majority) is exploited We request to the Council to investigate and restore by the Brahmins (2.5%) and Hindus (7.5%) who are our rights as decent citizens. borne to rule us, the dalits. Only 10% population of I thank you , Madam Chair. ***** CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE ADVOCACY
AGENDA ITEM 4
13 March, 2012
Presenter: Awatar Singh Sekhon
56 International Journal of Sikh Affairs 22, No. 1, 2012© ISSN 1481-5435
Madam President
My organization would like to draw attention of this stations. All illegal practices of police authorities go custodian body of Human Rights towards human unnoticed and with impunity. The government of India rights abuses committed by the police of India. Illegal has failed to hold the police accountable for human arrest and detention are routine aspects of police rights violations. behavior in India. Most of the abuses are recorded in order to extract confessions to multiple and unrelated Madam President false charges by the police personnel from common men. Recently, an example is of, Habibur Rehman, a Bangladeshi peasant, while crossing borders from Registering complaints is a focal point for India to Bangladesh with a herd of cattle’s, was investigations into crimes and abuses, and the first stopped by members of the Border Security Forces. step towards redress made by those seeking justice. The border patrol asked him to hand over the However, filing complaints at police stations are equivalent of 30 Euros plus his mobile phone. As he become increasingly complicated and even dangerous could not pay, he was stripped naked, tied to a bamboo business for common men. stick and violently beaten.
A report titled “Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse We call upon the government of India to take serious and Impunity in the Indian Police” was published by note of human rights violations being committed by Human Rights Watch in 2009, which documented a the Indian police to restore peoples’ confidence in range of human rights violations committed by police, police system in India. including arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, extrajudicial killings of the Sikhs and non-Sikh minorities. Since then, no measures have been taken I thank you Madam President by the government to redress the situation in police *****
MR MARTIN REGG COHN’S VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE TORONTO STAR CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon In his opinion, appeared in The Toronto Star of 30th April, 2010, SIKH SEPARATISTS OUT OF TOUCH WITH HOMELAND, Tuesday, April 27, 2010, Page A-19, Dr Sekhon finds Mr Cohen’s views offensive. Whether the Canadian Sikhs, Sikh Diaspora or the Sikhs, British, Portuguese, etc., for more than 3,500 Sikhs of their Holy and Historic Homeland, PUNJAB, years and they became an independent nation only by the Sikh Raj, Sarkar-e-Khalsa or Khalistan (under the default on 15th August, 1947, when the British India occupation of the devious, divisive, deceitful, Empire made them a nation, called India, the largest apartheid practicing ‘Brahmins-Hindus alleged Indian democracy of our world, so to speak. You are totally democracy, since 15th August, 1947) are out of touch ignorant that the ‘First Sovereign and Secular with homeland, or you have the least knowledge of the nation’ of South Asia was the ‘Sikh Raj, Sarkar-e- Sikh Affairs and has started writing ‘sensational’ Khalsa, or Punjab of a Sikh monarch Ranjit Singh, opinion column in a leading newspaper of Toronto, 1799 to 14th March, 1849 and the super firepower of Canada, only the time will tell. I would, however, like the region as acknowledged by the then British Army to say that you are virtually ‘devoid’ of the Sikh Generals of England. You must know that: affairs. Whose interests your writings satisfy? The 1. The Sikhs struggle to regain their surrendered writer implies no one else except you know the Sovereignty, Independence and Political power began purpose of writing in the area in which you have the on 14th March, 1849, the very day when the Sikhs lost least knowledge of the subject, as discerned by you their sovereignty to the forces of British Empire, by calling the Sikhs ‘separatists, extremist, etc.’ peaceful means. Would you mind to dig up the I would like you to know the following and should information in the archives of The London Times, 29th you disagree with me on the ‘subject of your opinion’, December 1929? On this day, The London Times I would look forward, with pleasure, to hearing from carried the coverage of a procession of more than you. 500,000 citizens of the ‘annexed’ Punjab, from all First, please correct me if you know that the walks of life, under the leadership of an ‘uncrowned’ ‘Brahmins-Hindus (neither a religion nor a culture)’ Sikh King, Baba Kharak Singh, demanding the return had been ‘subservient’ to the Afghans, Mughals, of their Sikh Nation from the British Empire. The
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Punjab of Sikhs was ‘annexed’ by the British Empire culture, was ‘swallowed’ by the ‘Brahmins-Hindus’, on 29th March, 1849. The Sikhs’ Punjab was along with the Sikh Marriage or the Anand Marriage ‘annexed’ but not ‘amalgamated’ to the British Act. To-date, none of the Sikhs' elected Empire, for the administration purpose only. Let me representatives has signed/accepted/endorsed the tell you that the people like JL Nehru, MK Gandhi, or Indian Constitution 1950, which made the ‘Brahmins- other Hindus could not attract more than 30,000 Hindus’ the Republic of India. Since 15th August, people in any rally of their so-called freedom struggle 1950, the deceitful ‘Brahmins-Hindus (only 2.5% and for India, which began in 1857 i. e., 9-year after the 7.5% of the total population of over 1.2 billion hungry Sikhs' struggle for Sovereignty. And you talk of mouths of India)’ administrations massacred the Sikhs India's struggle; what struggle for India what about the in 1978 in Amritsar, created a ‘law and order problem’ word ‘India’ which had not been known to the world in Punjab, the Landless Nation of Sikhs in the decades until 29th March, 1849, and had not been present on of 1980s and 1990s, despite demanding the restoration any map of the world and any dictionary and/or of law in their Landless Nation Punjab repeatedly, by encyclopedia of the English language? the Sikhs’ religious and political leader, Shaheed-Bilas 2. During this ‘annexation’ of the Sikhs' Holy and Saint-soldier Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his Historic Homeland, PUNJANB or Sikh Raj, the Sikhs staunch supporters and followers, throughout the fought to preserve peace in Europe. The Sikhs of the Landless Nation Punjab, the Sikhs of Punjab had been British army lost more than 89,000 men and had butchered in an 'undeclared' war in the form of a brutal more than 109,000 injured in the World War I & military "Operation Bluestar" of June, 1984. In return, II. The people in Europe, Ieper, Belgium still these ‘Brahmins-Hindus’ of India branded the Sikhs remember the Sikhs of the British Army on every ‘separatists, extremists, terrorists, anti-nationals, ‘Remembrance Day’ in November of each year and anti-socials, anti-India, a lawless people, etc. Their their contribution in preserving the peace process in deceitful policies were bought by the international Europe. news media and their democratic administrations at 3 The Sikhs fought in the WW I & II were from the the face value. This gave the impression that the Sikhs Punjab ‘annexed’ by the British forces. They were not are the troublemakers in India and all the ‘Brahmins- from ‘India’ what you call the largest democracy of Hindus’ are ‘saints, peace-doves and angels’, our world. Until 29th March, 1849, there was no word according to the international news media, their ‘India’ present in any dictionary and/or encyclopedia democratic administrations and notorious ‘Brahmins- of the English language (see above). Since there had Hindus administration(s) of India, since they (the been no nation on the World map or the Globe known Sikhs) were ‘robbed and made a Landless Nation as India, India’s ‘Freedom for Independence’ was out PUNJAB’, since 15th August, 1947. What a hypocrisy of question. It was all to distort the ‘Facts of Sikh of these so-called peace-doves! History from the Sikh point of view’ and to ‘distort’ Following the failure of the ‘Law and Order’, other the history of South Asia by the deceitful ‘Brahmins- plans had to be made to take care of the ‘Landless Hindus’, later proved to the anti-Sikh forces and to the Nation of Sikhs of PUNJAB’, as they were unbearable international community'. pain in the necks of the ‘Brahmins-Hindus’, because On 15th August, 1947, the British Empire handed over the latter (2.5+7.5% of the total population of the political power to the ‘unelected’ Brahmins-Hindus alleged Indian democracy) have been dreaming of the leadership. On this day, the real crafting of anti-Sikh ‘Hindu Rashtra and/or the Brahaminstan alias the policies of JL Nehru and gang became known. On this Hindu, Hindi, Hindutav and Hindustan alias Bharat. day the citizens of the Sikh Nation, Punjab, were All non-“Brahmins-Hindus” were the Hindus (neither ‘robbed’ in a wide daylight and made a ‘Nation of a religion nor a culture), regardless they were the Landless People’. The first present from the Sikhs of the ‘House of Guru Baba Nanak Sahib’ (3% ‘Brahmins-Hindus’ masters was made within 7-week of the total population), followers of Islam or Muslims post-India’s independence. The Sikhs were declared ‘a (13-14% of the population), Christians (3% of lawless people’ dangerous to the law-abiding Hindus population), Dalits (nearly 70% of the total (who had been ‘subservient’ for 3500 years). The first population), Buddhists (wiped out by the ‘Brahmins’ victim of the ‘law-abiding Brahmins-Hindus’ was since Ashoka laid his arms down), and other Sardar Kapur Singh, Indian Civil Service, a graduate minorities. of the Cambridge University, UK; because a Following the division of the ‘Landless Nation ‘confidential’ state circular signed by a trio (JL Nehru, PUNJAB, into Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh CL Trivedi and VB Patel) was revealed to the Sikhs of (all the land of the Landless Nation PUNJAB of the Sikh Nation, Punjab (under the Brahmins-Hindus- Sikhs) in 1966 by Indira Gandhi and her New Delhi turbaned Brahmins-Hindus' occupations since its administration (NDA), against the wishes of the Sikhs, robbery). Subsequently, the Sikhs of the ‘Landless a plan was hatched, and this was an ‘undeclared’ war Sikh Nation’ were deprived of their ‘constitutional on the Sikhs’ Holy and Historic Homeland Punjab. rights’; the ‘Brahmins-Hindus’ constitution made the The Indian armed forces started moving and taking Sikhs ‘long haired Hindus’. To say it more precisely, their positions all over Punjab. Suspending all means the Sikh religion, world’s 5th largest religion and of communication, transportation means, imposition of the curfew round the clock, an ‘undeclared’ war
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began in Punjab in the name of a brutal military opinion, committed both these anti-human, criminal “Operation Bluestar” of June, 1984 (see 25 Years acts. Let me quote the teachings of the founder of Sikh After Assault on Durbar Sahib, Laying Foundation religion, Baba Guru Nanak Sahib, in the Sikhs Holy of Khalistan (ed) Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon, June Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib: “Mathe Tikka Terrh 2009, ISBN 0-9548929-4-1, a publication of the Dhotti Hath Chhurri Jagat Kasaii,” means the London Institute of South Asia ‘Brahmins are the Butchers of the Humanity’.
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teachings of their Gurus, inscribed in Guru Granth The Indian intelligence personnel and their hired- Sahib, and not from any Tom, Dick or Harry like the hands have penetrated our Gurdwaras, Mr Cohn, since ‘Brahmins-Hindus of the alleged Indian democracy. 1980s. If you do not see that, it is your problem, Mr Cohn. Best wishes and warmest regards.
***** PUNJABI SECTION
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The International Journal of Sikh Affairs ISSN 1481-5435, its publisher, The Sikh Educational Trust, Editor in Chief, and the Editorial Advisors would like to express their gratefulness to our brothers and sisters whose interests and financial assistance made the academic work presented before the readership in the current year. We express our best wishes to them for the years ahead.
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