Dear Sir,
I love your determined campaign editorials feature articles letters and delegations to UN and US Congress to expose India’s human rights violations in Punjab But the studied silence of Sikh compatriots including WSN troubles me: I cannot in good conscience protest to my congressman when Punjabis in the name of Sikhs Khalistan is their surrogates pretenders and whatever’s are violating the very rights of everybody else. Khalistan fight should be with the occupation forces and not with Punjabi citizens or pilgrims or innocent travelers. The lawlessness in Punjab whether or not is sponsored by authorities including extortions kidnappings executions and grudge killings gets generally attributed to the Sikhs.
Utter political chaos is now routine and seasonal violence gets turned on and off by the of the scheduled and postponed elections. The Sikhs will win points in the Western countries only if they clean up their image and demonstrate that they respect others rights as well.
God forbid if the much heralded enforcements by the militants are a Namoona of Sikhs Shahi to follow. I shudder at the visions of a Sikh Homeland where dress codes lifestyles and dietary preferences will be enforced ala Iranian crack pots. I hope they spare a few precious freedoms so idealized in Sikhism.
Even if India were to mend its ways when will the Sikhs learn to appreciate the responsibilities which entail rights? The cancerous Sikh concept of democracy well perfected through “Gurdwara Elections” afflicts the Sikh life so much that no one is willing to lead follow or to get out of the way. Electioneering is a major sport and the only entertainment. Every conscious effort is directed at winning an election and replacing one set of clowns with another set of ignorance and half-illiterates. Let the Sikhs not be silent partners in the violation of others rights. I urge you to raise your voice. Let us not let anybody Sikhs included destroy the Sikh Homeland and malign Sikhs.
Dr. Sukhbir Singh
Indianapolis IN
Article extracted from this publication >> February 14, 1992
