Now that several Sikh politicians have once again been lured to electioneering I find it necessary to war them of the dangers that lie ahead.
Parliamentary democracy no doubt is the most popular political system in the modern world offering every citizen a say in the affairs of the state.
But in a unitary state whose citizens have diverse socio-cultural values and the predominant majority of them is bigoted and ruthless like the Hindus this popular system becomes a death trap for the minorities.
Even if some politicians of the majority community in such a state are decent and well-meaning people they have to bow to the wishes of the bigoted and ruthless majority if they are ascend to power.
History of India since Independence has ample evidence to prove the point. Not a week has passed during the last 44 years when one or other of the minorities—Sikhs Muslims Christians Buddhists Christians Buddhists Dalit’s etc.—have not been the victims of Hindu attacks on their person’s property even honor. Yet hardly ever the Government machinery has moved to protect them or apprehend and prosecute their tormentors.
Especially in the case of Sikhs in Punjab and Muslims in Kashmir not a single of the premises has been kept. Their national identities have been denied recognition. Their languages—Urdu and Punjabi—have been denied the status they deserved. Their economic interests have been trampled under feet. Their sacred shrines have been desecrated with impunity
All this simply because none of the Indian rulers dared displease the Hindu majority—and risk ouster from power!
Even a Muslim and a Sikh President (Moulana Abu Kalam Azad and Giani Zail Singh respectively) could not protect their respective people and had to watch their massacres and degradations helplessly thus proving that even as heads of state they were nothing more than show boys in the hands of their Hindu masters.
With this dismal track record of Parliamentary democracy in Hindu-dominated India the Sikhs surely cannot hope to reach anywhere. Even if they win from all the constituencies of Punjab they will still remain an ineffective and helpless minority in the Indian Parliament—wielding no more power than Giani Zail Singh did as the President of India.
And the fate of the Sikh MPs in the last Parliament is the latest proof of the futility of electioneering in a unitary India. Even after giving crushing defeat to their opponent and winning landslide victories throughout Punjab they could not take their religious symbols the Kirpans into the House—and had eventually to resign their seats.
Even though the allurements of electioneering are tempting the Sikh politicians should keep the national dignity and interests paramount—and refrain from falling into the death trap of Parliamentary Elections—especially when past experience has shown that even cent per cent victory will be of no avail in promoting the national interests of the Sikhs.
Moreover now that the entire Sikh nation has unanimously decided that enough is enough— that we can no more expose ourselves to the massacres exploitations and betrayals by the Indian Government; and that nothing short of a Sovereign.
Khalistan is acceptable to us— seeking election to the Indian Parliament is contrary to the wishes of the nation.
But as for Punjab it is the Sikh homeland and it is the right of the Sikhs to rule it. With this in view it is also imperative for the Sikh nation to oust all anti-Khalistan politicians from the arena of Punjab legislature. It is therefore necessary for the entire Sikh nation to take a united stand in Punjab elections and win the entire seats in the provincial legislature for those politicians who make a firm commitment to the independence of the Sikh homeland and the establishment of Khalistan in it.
So far as the Lok Sabha elections are concerned their boycott will be a very effective weapon in the hands of the Sikh politicians if they really want to promote the national interests and pave the way for Khalistan.
By boycotting the Lok Sabha elections the Sikh nation could prove to the whole world that Unilateral Declaration of Independence by the Punjab Legislature will be in keeping with the Sikh right of self-determination.
Participation in Lok Sabha elections by any Sikh politician will be a clear proof that he is not sincere in his protestations of support to the national demand for Khalistan.
As was the case with Sardar Baldev Singh such politicians will be consigned to the list of the traitors of the Sikh nation!
Sewa Singh Lalli President
Khalistan Government-in-ex-
Article extracted from this publication >> April 26, 1991
