All recent opinion polls indicate that Rajiv Gandhi will not win the polls which would have been held in India by the time this issue reaches our readers. However, given the corruption, booth capturing and intimidation under which the elections in India are held, it is not over till it is over and it does not mean much to the Sikhs. Rajiv openly proclaims he would bring about Ram Rajya if given the chance. Coincidently, last time MLK. Gandhi said this the first Partition of 1947 took place.
The opposition parties have not articulated any positive policies on Punjab nor given any indication that they understand the gravity of the situation. Both the high caste contend ing groups have no use for the minorities, Sikhs, Muslims, or Christians, except to use them as scapegoats by the Hindu majority. All the demands of the minorities to be treated justly have been denied.
All communal parties stoke the flames of communalism to further narrow feudal ends. The minorities are almost invariably the victims, with police instigating or participating in the slaughter. No official has ever been convicted for killing a Sikh, Muslim or Christian.
Y.P. Singh’s National Front with its Hindu chauvinistic BJP ally is as dangerously communal as the other and as we have said before, what is to be noticed in the Indian polity is the common thread of Hindu supremacism. What can be expected at most, is that any regime other than that of Rajiv, will at least not have a personal vendetta against the Sikhs.
Both Rajiv Gandhi and Y.P. Singh started their campaigns by public blessings of Hindu religious priests. Both have made it a point to project themselves and the language of their campaign in Hindu symbolism. This in a country which pro fesses to be secular in its constitution.
Soviet Union also professes religious freedom but the Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders have been persecuted as have been the faithful. Indian hypocrisy and two fadedness has managed to project its leaders as secular. Mohan Das Karam chand Gandhi who is projected as the up lifter of the downtrodden was a bigot who used Hindu symbolism, customs and rites throughout his political career.
Indian regimes have sought to project Hindu culture and values in the guise of Indian culture through festivals of India and other junkets sponsored by the taxpayers money. The cultural richness of the minorities does not find a place in them.
The government owned and controlled television has been broadcasting the two Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata even though religions leaders of other faiths have protested against the move since it seeks to project one religion at the cost of others, with the tax payers money. These objections, of course do make any difference since this is exactly what the Hindu chauvinists want.
Sikhs do not expect that their nation will get any justice in the present political setup in India, and thus it does not matter which political party comes to power there. We have decided that our destiny will be governed only by us and not by anyone else. That will only happen when we have a sovereign nation which would guarantee justice equality and liberty.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 24, 1989
