AMRITSAR: Punjab police chief K.P.S.Gill was offered a “siropa” (a saffron turban) by the S.G.P.C. while he visited the Darbar Saheb complex and the Damdami Taksal ave him a glass of milk when he was at Gurdarshan Prakash Chowk Mehia the headquarter of Damdami Taksal.
These claims have been made by Journalist Khushwant Singh who was conducted to the two places personally by Gill.
Writing in The Times of India Khushwant Singh says:” “Heads turned round and everyone told everyone else who this man was. He made his obeisance in front to Granth Saheb and sprinkled holy water taken from Har Ki Pauree On his face. The ragis and granthis also recognized him. That morning he had ordered the arrest of several Akalis trying to organize an akhand path for Sukha and Jinda. Anyone could have assaulted him and got away with it. There was not a trace of fear on Gills face. Instead of discourtesy he received a siropa a saffron turban as a mark of respect.”
About K.P.S Gills visit to Gurdarshan Parkash Chowk Mehta Khushwant writes: “We arrived at Chaok Mehta and pulled up in front of the massive gates of the Gurdwara. The sentry eyed us suspiciously and recognized K.P.S Gill. Was this another police raid? He opened the gate and let us in. We were soon surrounded by elders and neophytes all dressed in flowing white kurtas and wearing saffron and black turbans. They were more than eager to make us welcome. The present head of the Taksal Baba Thakur Singh was away in Amritsar. In any event we were told he does not waste time walking to anyone and prefers to keep saying prayers. We were taken round the sprawling complex and offered bowls of fresh milk. I asked for some literature on religion produced by the Taksal. It was given to me wrapped in silk scarf when I offered to pay for them the head Granthi and laughed and said “the only payment we ask for is a promise that you will stop dyeing your beard. It is against gurmaryada.” I also replied with a laugh I will look a budha Giani Zail Singh also dyes his beard.
“If Gianiji jumps into a well will you follow him? And the dye won’t make you any younger.” Everyone bursts into laughter. It was a friendly 45 minutes we spent in Bhindranwales temple-fortress. I took a good look at the Gurdwara. There were scores of prints of the gurus and the previous heads of the Taksal. I did not see a single picture of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.”
Gills visits to Amritsar and Chowk Mehta were an exercise in public relations and who could better perform this function than Khushwant Singh who spent his whole life working as public relations man with one or the other organization? Gill has been busy selectively choosing journalists to project the Punjab polices recent victories against Sikh militants. Only last month Tawleen Singh a rich woman journalist from Delhi was brought to Punjab. Gill placed an aircraft at the disposal of the woman and the media exposed her “independent writing” before even it saw the light of day.
Punjab police chief was keen on showing to the world through the journalists well known for their prejudices against the Sikh militants that he had achieved a miracle in Punjab. The militancy is all over. Normalcy has returned and the credit goes to Gill and that it is now time for his career promotion: either as governor of Kashmir or ambassador somewhere.
Whatever Gills propaganda calculations the two important Sikh institutions have repeated the 1919 story when the S.G.P.C. offered a siropa to General ODwyeir the butcher of Sikhs and other Punjabis at Jallainwala Bagh. The only great idea that struck the inmates of the Damdami Taksal was Khushwant Singhs rehat maryada and not his hostility towards the Sikh movement and its heroes including Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale whom he refuses to call a Sant even today. In fact in the two articles he wrote for The Times of India Khushwant uses such epithets for Sikh militants as “dakoos” “luteras” and “rapists.” His anti-Sikh articles are always published by Hindu fundamentalist-controlled media with great relish.
But sober professional Hindu editors do not treat the absence of a Khushwant column as much of a loss for their organizations. The Pioneer edited by veteran editor Vinod Mehta commented: There is no truth in Punjab only versions. The version being currently propagated by the Punjab government is that peace has returned to Punjab there is some validity in this claim but it is questionable whether it serves any purpose the campaign may serve to lionize Beant Singh and Gill but carried too far it can dangerously distort the reality. The reality is that the state government and the center have yet to take steps to address the political problems underlying militancy…law and order is not the Punjab problem but it is only one symptom of the disease.”
While no serious-minded journalist regards Khushwant much of a journalist even his erstwhile employers like Jains and Birlas never treated him much of a journalis this writings have served to expose the two important Sikh institutions.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 6, 1992
