THE SIKHS had issued a call from Akal Takht in Amritsar fora ‘meeting of the SARBAT KHALSA (universal forum of the Sikhs) to take place on 16th February 1986. Such a meeting had become necessary to consider the events of the recent past. The belligerent statements made by Bhajan Lal, the Chief Minister of Haryana had created in Punjab an environment of uncertainty and suspicion, The fact that these statements have never been denied or explained by Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister, lends credence to the conclusion that they were inspired by him. In the ‘wake of those statements the post Ponement sine die of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab which ought to have taken place on 26th January 1986 delivers the message that like his late mother, Mr, Rajiv Gandhi is neither interested in nor capable of Keeping the ‘promises he makes.

UNDER THESE circumstances the SARBAT KHALSA meeting of 16th February acquires fundamental importance in determining the future and the fate of the Sikhs. Participation of representatives of the worldwide community in Amritsar is imperative to deal with problems of such gravity. There are some 500,000 Sikhs living in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. Their representatives were charged with the task of participating in the SARBAT KHALSA on 16th February. As required by the Government of India, they, submitted their applications for Visa to visit Amritsar. Indian counselor offices have not given them travel permission. It is, therefore, not possible for a large part of this community to be represented at the meeting of 16th, February. Such an act on the part of the Government of India not only breaches the fundamental human rights of the Sikhs guaranteed in various documents of international acceptance and binding upon the Government of India, it also reveals that the Government of India is devious a tradition that continues from Gandhi to Gandhi and incapable of listening to reason, ‘Consequently its following resolution was sent to the SARBAT KHALSA for being debated and voted upon. The text of the resolution is reproduced hereinbelow:

‘THIS’SARBAT KHALSA, having considered the long history of betrayals of the Sikh people, IS CONSTRAINED TO CONCLUDE that the Sikh people, cannot find adequate protection to their life, liberty and property in the arrangement currently existing in South Asia, Hence THIS SARBAT KHALSA DECLARES that the only alternative left open to the Sikh people now is to create for themselves a sovereign nation Which will be bound to offer them the means of life with dignity and the enjoyment of the fruits of their labour, THIS SARBAT KHALSA, having given the issue considerable thought, NAMES that sovereign nation KHALISTAN.

However, it is a matter of regret that the Sarbat Khalsa meeting turned out to be a show sponsored by Rajiv Gandhi’s admirers and instead of debating and taking vote ‘on the above resolution, it spent all its energy on how to get the Golden ‘Temple vacated from the devout ‘and committed sewadars belonging to A.I.S.S.F, and Damdami Taksal. The proceedings of the meeting gave the impression of Congress (I) show rather than a representative congregation of the Sikhs.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 28, 1986