Finally, the executions of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh were carried out. Families of the deceased were not allowed anywhere near to see the last glimpses of their loved ones before they ceased to exist. Permission to take the dead bodies home for cremation according to Sikh religion was denied by the Gandhi government in flagrant violation of the Constitution guarantees and human rights of Sikh families.
On government orders, bodies were cremated inside the Tihar jail against the wishes of the families. As if this was not enough, the remains, i.e., ashes, were dispersed at Hardwar, in Ganjes River, holy to the Hindus instead of at Kirtpur. In Sutlez River in Punjab holy to the Sikhs. This type of shoddy behavior by the Gandhi government professing modern democracy deserves outright condemnation by all sections of civilized society. This virtually amounts to rape of the secular Constitution of India.
The British hand over the bodies of slained IRA guerrillas to the next of kin, Israeli’s give bodies of killed Palestinians to their relatives and even racist South Africa hands over the dead’ bodies of blacks to their families for mourning and final burial in accordance with their religious belief. Then why this cruelty to the members of minority Sikh community in India? The answer is baffling to the curious mind. Ironically Gandhi government has the same kind of law and order explanation which a foreign government like the British rulers of India had at the time of hanging of Bhagat Singh of Punjab. The real reason behind this is that Gandhi government could not afford to be politically embarrassed by the massive outpouring of Sikh masses of Punjab to pay homage to the departed souls who sacrificed their lives to avenge the humiliating trauma to the Sikh psyche by Operation Blue Star at Golden Temple Amritsar. The government has lost a golden opportunity to send a signal of compassion and reconciliation to the Sikhs of Punjab. Prominent opposition members including: A.B. Vajpayee of B.J.P., Unni Krishnan of Congress, Surendra Mohan of Janata Party and General J.S. Arora of Akali Dal pleaded in vain for a presidential pardon to Kehar Singh, who was convicted of conspiracy in Indira Gandhi case on flimsy circumstantial evidence according to several legal experts.
If justice took its course in the case of assassins of Indira Gandhi, then why it failed to take the course in the case of convicted killers in of thousands of innocent Sikh men, women and children in the aftermath of the assassination. This exposes the discriminatory and unjust attitude of the present government towards the Sikh minority and would erode the confidence of Sikhs in the Indian government and its judicial system. These dangerously misguided policies of the government would cause further alienation of the Sikhs: from the mainstream and certainly bound to help create the same entity of Khalistan which the government dreads the most. Unfortunately out of ignorance or more appropriately. arrogance, the government is very sensitive to the feelings and aspirations of this brave hardworking and dynamic Sikh community and is bent upon playing with fire which could engulf the nation, destroying the age ‘old bonds of friendship, communal harmony, and slender fabric of national unity which binds us together. Gandhi’s attitude towards the Sikhs may be giving buoyance to his personal ego and vengeance but it is going to prove to be an unflinching dagger in the heart of national unity of India, The break between Gandhi government and the Sikhs appears to be complete and chances of peaceful solution to the Punjab problem have become ever so remote. Ruthless suppressions of civil liberties and human rights would only perpetuate the vicious cycle of senseless violence in Punjab.
Rajiv Gandhi’s popularity as a leader appears to be sagging and his image of Mr. Clean is already tarnished. The defeat of the Congress I party in the next election may prove to be a blessing in disguise for India, Firstly, Indian democracy would get rid of the dynasty rule and secondly, the new leadership might look at the situation more objectively, leading to healing wounds of communal disharmony, paving the way for a peaceful solution to this most volatile political crisis facing India since independence and which threatens to undermine the long term. unity and terroritial integrity of India. May God Bless India and help steer the destiny of the nation in the right direction.
MLS. Poonia, M.D.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 17, 1989
